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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28329033">Indomitable Iron Man</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuilSniv/pseuds/QuilSniv'>QuilSniv</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Friendly Neighborhood Universe [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Iron Man (Comics), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Beta Ray Bill is mentioned but I wish I'd put him in here because I like Thorse, But also he doesn't forget, Everybody Hurts, F/M, Hulk is mad but that's not unusual, Peter doesn't forgive easy, Post-Days of Deception, Silver Sable is now a full-on politician, Thor is a Good Bro (Marvel), Thor is an elephant, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, everybody is tired</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 18:00:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>17,681</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28329033</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuilSniv/pseuds/QuilSniv</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony Stark. Billionaire. Superhero. Avenger. Loved by almost everybody. Not anymore.</p><p>And as Tony tries to pick up his life in the aftermath of the Symbiote Invasion and the Age of Marvels goes on without him, Tony discovers that the most dangerous threats of the 21st Century are not just supervillains, but family kept close to the sleeve that even Tony didn't know about. And the damage that threat could cause that new Age of Marvels is incalculable.</p><p>Which means it's time to assemble some old friends and fix the problem yourself.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Peter Parker/Mary Jane Watson, Tony Stark/Janet Van Dyne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Friendly Neighborhood Universe [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1017714</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Blood and Rust</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Indomitable Iron Man #1 (of 4)<br/>
“Blood and Rust”</p><p>Writer: Neil Bogenrieder<br/>
Assistant Writer: Alex Cook<br/>
Editor: Mohammed Jaafar</p><p>Preferred Art Team: Sarah Stone</p><p>[Page 1]</p><p>[Panel 1: A plain, black space; the void is noticeable, especially for how grim it is and how its implications range.]</p><p>Tony [Capt]: Every time I close my eyes, I think I’ll never wake up.</p><p>That eventually, something will give out.</p><p>[Panel 2: A flashback to Tales of Suspense #39, where Tony is lying, suit coated in blood and dirt, in a field in Iraq. (For the sake of retconning for the sliding timescale, the weapons test has now taken place in Iraq.)]</p><p>Tony [Capt]: It’d be fitting, I think. <strong><em>Funny</em></strong>, even.</p><p>After years of having my existence determined by a <strong><em>battery</em></strong>, of all things--</p><p>--it’d make sense that it’d be the body itself-- the greatest machine ever built-- that failed me.</p><p>[Panel 3: A close-up of Tony’s face, in the dead of night, as he wakes up; his hair is disheveled, his eyes are bagged, and he clearly hasn’t shaved in some time; his pencil moustache is slowly being grown out into the full beard.]</p><p>Tony [Capt]: And then I realize that I’m not <strong><em>allowed</em> </strong>to have nice things.</p><p>It’s always <strong><em>something</em> </strong>that brings me back to life.</p><p>And the worst part?</p><p>[Panel 4: Moving to get out of bed, Tony has shuffled aside his covers, wearing only his pajama pants; next to him is a woman, with short brown hair; she’s wearing nothing, the only thing covering her up being the sheets.]</p><p>Tony: Sometimes it’s <em><strong>not</strong> </em>a metaphor.</p><p>Part of my line of work, <strong><em>yes</em></strong>…</p><p>[Panel 5: Putting on his t-shirt, Tony moves to leave the bedroom, and we finally get an outside view of Tony’s room; it’s a Manhattan penthouse, and the rain is pattering against the glass windows.]</p><p>Tony [Capt]: ...but I’ve been trying to <strong><em>shake</em> </strong>that kind of life for six months now.</p><p>But the universe won’t throw me a bone these days.</p><p>Rhodey is off at <strong><em>Camp Hammond</em></strong>, running <strong><em>Force Works</em></strong>. So we don’t get to talk a whole lot.</p><p>Pepper hasn’t talked to me since <strong><em>Happy</em> </strong>died way back when.</p><p>[Panel 6: As Tony opens the door, exiting the bedroom, he pinches the bridge of his nose.]</p><p>Tony [Capt]: I don’t blame her.</p><p>[Page 2]</p><p>[Panel 1: Large panel. The scene has shifted to Tony’s lab, as he enters; matte black tiles, surrounded by industrial, pearly-white-shaded white outlines, make up the floor, while a combination of mechanical arms and appendages hang from the ceiling, along with a set of magnetically-secured tables and equipment pieces. Off to the side is a miniature Hall of Armors, with several new and old armors (As well as a new, as-of-yet-unused prototype secured in a vault) on standby. Walking in, Tony moves over to a nearby coffee machine, picking up a steaming cup.]</p><p>Tony [Capt]: So my next response is to build something.</p><p>Build anything. Because if you build anything, eventually you come up with something.</p><p>Tony: Lights.</p><p>Building AI: Confirmed. Good morning, Mr. Stark.</p><p>[Panel 2: As Tony picks up his cup, a hologram begins flickering into existence.]</p><p>???: It’s <strong><em>one in the morning</em></strong>, boss.</p><p>Tony: I know.</p><p>???: You need to be getting some rest.</p><p>Tony: <em>I know</em>.</p><p>???: Not to mention not waking up Ms--</p><p>Tony: <strong><em>I know</em></strong>--</p><p>[Panel 3: The hologram has fully materialized, showing Tony’ newest AI assistant; HAPPY, a holographic version of the now deceased Happy Hogan, dressed in black suit and tie, and with a clipboard: the male equivalent of a girl Friday.]</p><p>Tony: —<strong><em>HAPPY</em></strong>.</p><p>HAPPY: Just saying, boss. Your REM sleep is down 30% from last month.</p><p>And your caffeine intake has gone up <strong><em>200%</em> </strong>to compensate.</p><p>[Panel 4: Tony takes a sip from his cup, as HAPPY walks alongside him.]</p><p>Tony: I didn’t know my health was such a big deal.</p><p>HAPPY: It’s my <strong><em>job</em> </strong>to make sure that you’re in tip-top shape, Mr. Stark.</p><p>And that includes your <em><strong>physical</strong> </em>health.</p><p>[Panel 5: As HAPPY taps the air, the holographic clipboard vanishes and materializes in the air next to him.]</p><p>HAPPY: And your <em><strong>mental</strong></em>. Which I’m apparently doing <em><strong>terribly</strong> </em>at, all things considered.</p><p>[Panel 6: Tony takes another sip from his mug, as Happy continues writing on his clipboard.]</p><p>Tony: I didn’t know I programmed you to care.</p><p>HAPPY: You didn’t. You programmed <em><strong>him</strong> </em>to, though, and he thought that a glorified day planner--</p><p>--i.e. Me--</p><p>--should have the same ethical subroutines as your <strong><em>Jiminy Cricket</em></strong>.</p><p>[Page 3]</p><p>[Panel 1: Tony moves towards the center of the lab, as one of the tables and a high-end desktop render rig float down to him on repulsors.]</p><p>Tony: That’s what I get for making a… <em><strong>whatever</strong></em>.</p><p>HAPPY, plug into the mainframe. Let’s start by looking at the renders for the shoulder plating on the Model 56.</p><p>HAPPY: Turning on Stark OS 2.4.13.</p><p>[Panel 2: Tony sits down at his desk, taking another sip of coffee from his mug.]</p><p>Tony [Capt]: I spend the next few hours pinging away at <em><strong>imperfections</strong> </em>in my armors.</p><p>Now, sure, these armors don’t even <em><strong>exist</strong> </em>yet.</p><p>[Panel 3: Close in on Tony, as he slumps his head into his hand; he’s clearly exhausted, but doesn’t want to give in.]</p><p>Tony [Capt]: But that’s my job. Hypotheticals for the future. <em><strong>Future-proofing</strong></em> the world.</p><p>And I think that’s what people <strong><em>forget</em> </strong>sometimes.</p><p>[Panel 4: Tony leans back in his chair, holding his mug as he examines the screen that is turned away from the reader.]</p><p>Tony [Capt]: As a futurist, a few nights worth of sleep are <strong><em>nothing</em></strong>. I say it to myself.</p><p>Hoping one day I can maybe justify it to myself.</p><p>[Panel 5: Tony snaps his head up, whipping it around. A small amount of coffee comes flying out of the mug in surprise as well.]</p><p>???: Tony?</p><p>[Page 4]</p><p>[Panel 1: The woman from Tony’s bed is revealed to be Janet Van Dyne, the Wasp; wearing a loose t-shirt and pajama pants, she shuffles over towards Tony’s lab table.]</p><p>Janet: You okay?</p><p>Tony [Capt]: Janet Van Dyne.</p><p>Avenger. Socialite. 2 million Twitter followers.</p><p>And more recently, a bit more than a friend.</p><p>Not that I deserve it, but these days I appreciate company.</p><p>[Panel 2: Tony pushes away from his desk, leaning back in his desk chair, as Janet walks up to him.]</p><p>Tony: Hey, Jan. I’m...I’m fine.</p><p>What time is it?</p><p>Janet: Five in the morning.</p><p>[Panel 3: As Tony lets out a sigh, Janet pecks him on the cheek as a sign of affection, while also moving her hand towards his coffee cup.]</p><p>Tony: Dammit.</p><p>Janet: Well, at least you were being productive.</p><p>Tony: Doesn’t feel like it, Jan.</p><p>[Panel 4: Jan, having handed Tony his coffee cup, wraps her arms around his chest, as Tony holds said cup in his hands.]</p><p>Jan: <strong><em>Meaning</em></strong>?...</p><p>Tony: I dunno… maybe a bit of lingering regret.</p><p>Maybe it’s keeping me from finishing what I’ve started.</p><p>Jan: You don’t mean that, and I know it.</p><p>[Panel 5: As Jan moves her left hand up to Tony’s neck, Tony himself looks up at Jan softly.]</p><p>Jan: And I know <strong><em>just</em> </strong>what’ll cheer you up.</p><p>Tony: And that is?...</p><p>Jan: Tell you what. We both get dressed and I’ll just <strong><em>show</em> </strong>you.</p><p>[Page 5]</p><p>[Panel 1: Large panel, as an establishing scene; Tony and Jan are now at some hole-in-the-wall diner, eating pancakes together. With Tony’s hat on and Jan’s glasses on her face, the Superman Effect has come into play, with nobody recognizing them.]</p><p>Tony: Oh my <strong><em>God</em></strong>.</p><p>Janet: I know, right?!</p><p>Ever tell you how I found this place?</p><p>Tony: Do tell.</p><p>Janet: So Hank and I were fighting Egghead one morning. I think we were still married back then?</p><p>[Panel 2: Jan takes another bite of pancake, savoring it as she chews in god-like satisfaction.]</p><p>Janet: We were tired and hungry, and this was the closest place we could find.</p><p>Their pumpkin pancakes during the fall are to <em><strong>die</strong> </em>for.</p><p>[Panel 3: Tony snickers, as he picks up a good chunk of pancake with his fork.]</p><p>Tony: Remind me to come here during the fall, then.</p><p>Assuming I don’t tell HAPPY to put it down for me.</p><p>I’m not gonna lie, Jan… I <em><strong>needed</strong> </em>this.</p><p>[Panel 4: Tony and Janet hold hands; it’s one of a few close, non-sexual moments of intimacy between them.]</p><p>Tony: Ever since I quit the Avengers, I’ve kinda just been… <em><strong>drifting</strong></em>. Trying to figure out what to do.</p><p>Pancakes aren’t the direction--wouldn’t lie, owning a diner may go on my bucket list--</p><p>--but doing something nice doesn’t hurt.</p><p>Janet: See? It all works out. And it’s going to, I promise.</p><p>Tony: Still, the <em><strong>Avengers</strong> </em>are <strong><em>underfunded</em> </strong>and <strong><em>spread thin</em></strong>--</p><p>--the <em><strong>X-Men</strong></em> are slugging it out with the bureaucrats in D.C. trying to justify their right to <em><strong>legally exist</strong></em>--</p><p>--and here I am. Just eating pancakes. Like I'm allowed to just drop everything and relax.</p><p>[Panel 5: Janet looks at Tony, with a concerned look on his face. Tony’s own face has turned back into an expression of tiredness, as he leans forwards. Off to the side of the panel on the other side of the wall, a faint ringing of a more curved Spider-Sense can be seen.]</p><p>Tony: …</p><p>Janet: You’re still hung up on the <strong><em>Silk</em> </strong>thing, aren’t you?</p><p>Tony: Hard not to be, Jan.</p><p>[Page 6]</p><p>[Panel 1: Side panel of the two talking, while oblivious to them, on the other side of the wall is Cindy Moon (aka Silk), who is looking over towards them with a look of horror. (Remember, true believers, she’s seen Tony in real life, behind the microphones and cameras; she’d recognize that voice anywhere.)]</p><p>Tony: I mean, we went down a serious slippery slope.</p><p>She’s a good kid. You’ve met her, right?</p><p>Jan: Can’t say I have, but I’ve heard about her down the grapevine.</p><p>Tony: She’s got a bright future. Could end up being one of the best of the <em><strong>new crop</strong></em>.</p><p>[Panel 2: Similar to panel 1. Cindy’s boyfriend, Matt Perkins, (See Friendly Neighborhood Silk for more of these two together, they’re good for each other! -Neil) has risen from his seat to join her in staring at Tony and Jan in surprise.]</p><p>Cindy: Omigod. Matt. <em>Matt</em>!</p><p>Matt: Whoa, wait… is that <em><strong>Tony Stark</strong></em>?</p><p>Cindy: Yep. We’re <strong><em>leaving</em></strong>. I’m getting these to go.</p><p>Tony: Pete did a good job teaching her. I thought I could do better.</p><p>But looking back on it, I’d be a terrible mentor.</p><p>Janet: You can’t say that without trying more than five minutes. Or even trying again.</p><p>[Panel 3: Still oblivious to the couple frantically trying to escape the diner, (Or, at the very least, figure out a way to pay their bill) Tony and Jan keep talking.]</p><p>Tony: You say that, but there was <strong><em>AIM Island</em></strong> and <strong><em>ONEIROI</em></strong>. The minute she raised an objection, I tried to lock her away.</p><p>What kind of mentor <em><strong>does</strong> </em>that?</p><p>I know Peter hates me with as much juice as both Summers can put out, but honestly? I don’t blame him. And Cindy would probably have just as much reason to feel the same.</p><p>Matt: I… what?</p><p>Cindy: Take it from personal experience, it’s better not to spend more than a minute in the same room as him.</p><p>Matt: Gimme a sec and—</p><p>Tony: Hell, if she <em><strong>saw</strong> </em>me right now, I wouldn’t blame her if she tried to <em><strong>bolt out of here</strong></em> and--</p><p>[Panel 4: Again, Tony and Jan are distracted, as Matt’ lizard brain turns on; he impulsively slaps a 20 dollar bill down on their table, creating a loud noise. Silent panel.]</p><p>[Panel 5: Tony and Jan look over towards the sound of the slap, but Cindy and Matt have ducked behind the wall to avoid being seen. Silent panel.]</p><p>[Panel 6: As Tony and Jan turn back to their conversation, Cindy bolts for the exit, holding a to-go box of waffles in one arm and grabbing her boyfriend’s hand and dragging him along with her free hand.]</p><p>Tony: Either way… I should probably <strong><em>talk</em> </strong>to at least one of them.</p><p>Try and at least explain myself.</p><p>Cindy: That thing you did? With the money on the table?</p><p>Matt: Yeah?</p><p>Cindy: <em><strong>Oh my god</strong></em>, that was so <strong><em>hot</em></strong>.</p><p>[Page 7]</p><p>[Panel 1: As Tony gets up, he offers his hand to help Jan up; despite his cynicism, he’s still a gentleman when he needs to be.]</p><p>Tony: Which means that for once, I’ve got things to do today.</p><p>But this was nice.</p><p>Janet: What a gentleman. I’ll see you later tonight?</p><p>Tony: It’s a date.</p><p>[Panel 2: Tony does a light little bow, kissing Jan’s hand; Janet, on the other hand, is amused by Tony’s mock chivalry, and does a mild fake-out of a curtsy.]</p><p>Tony: I’ll see you then.</p><p>Janet: Heh.</p><p>[Panel 3: As Tony armors up, with the Model Prime armor chips assembling around him, he watches Jan shrink and fly off through the door. Several civilians, watching him remove his hat, are in shock at the fact that Tony Stark of all people, a celebrity by all intents and purposes, was among them and they didn’t realize it. The waiter, a young college-aged woman, is confused by Tony’s statement.]</p><p>Tony: Keep the change, kid.</p><p>[Panel 4: The waiter’s eyes bulge at the tip left behind, amounting to several hundred dollars. It’s probably more than she makes in a month. Silent panel.]</p><p>[Panel 5: Panel of Iron Man flying off into the New York skyline. Onlookers from the street, watching him take off, are taking pictures as he does so.]</p><p>Iron Man [Capt]: I’m a <strong><em>second-chance man</em></strong>.</p><p>And that means making the most of that chance.</p><p>[Page 8]</p><p>[Panel 1: The apartment building of the Parker family, as Tony touches down on the roof. It’s been a good half hour since the last scene, and the sun is vaguely coming up over the horizon.]</p><p>Capt: 33rd West End Avenue</p><p>[Panel 2: Walking into the building, Tony begins dearmoring, wearing the same clothes from breakfast with Janet.]</p><p>[Panel 3: Tony comes up to the door of the Parker household, as his armor follows up behind him to provide protection. Silent panel.]</p><p>[Panel 4: Closing his eyes, Tony knocks on the door, with a light yawn as he does so.]</p><p>Tony [Capt]: Coffee must be wearing off.</p><p>Oh, well.</p><p>[Panel 5: Tony stands there, blankly, waiting for somebody to answer the door. His bloodshot eyes are wide open in realization.]</p><p>Tony [Capt]: I’m just now putting together that I have no idea what I’m supposed to say.</p><p>…</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Oh, no.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>[Page 9]</p><p>[Panel 1: Peter gets out of the bed, with MJ covering her head with a couple of pillows. Both are clearly annoyed by the early wake-up call, as evidenced by Peter’s sagging eyes.]</p><p>Peter: I got it, babe.</p><p>MJ: And Annie?</p><p>Peter: If whoever’s at the door woke her up? <em><strong>Sure</strong></em>.</p><p>MJ: <em><strong>Good call</strong></em>.</p><p>[Panel 2: Pulling on pants, Peter moves out of his bedroom to answer the door. Silent panel.]</p><p>[Panel 3: Peter has pulled open the door, still tired beyond belief.]</p><p>Peter: Whoever you are, I had a really late night and--</p><p>[Panel 4: Peter’s face is one of surprise. You don’t see Tony on the other side of the POV. Silent panel.]</p><p>[Panel 5: Tony, waving, with his Iron Man armor behind him. Silent panel.]</p><p>[Panel 6: Peter’s face has turned to one of anger. Silent panel.]</p><p>[Page 10]</p><p>[Panel 1: Peter closes the door, stomping back off to bed.]</p><p>[Panel 2: Peter flops back on the bed, as MJ, groggy but still somehow beautiful, watches him.]</p><p>MJ: Wuzzit Tony?</p><p>Peter: Mmm-hmm. <em><strong>Again</strong></em>.</p><p>[Panel 3: MJ gets up, prodding Peter.]</p><p>MJ: You won’t be able to run away from him forever, you know.</p><p>Peter: Not trying to run, MJ. I just know who I want to talk to and who I don’t.</p><p>[Panel 4: MJ grabs Peter, who looks up at his wife with less than excitement in his eyes.]</p><p>MJ: Peter. Please.</p><p>Talk to him. Hear him out, so that you know what he wants to say.</p><p>[Panel 5: MJ yawns, as Peter looks up in exhaustion; he knows the song and dance after eighteen years, and he’s not particularly happy about doing it again.]</p><p>MJ: You don’t even have to make friends with him again.</p><p>Just… <em><strong>please</strong></em>. So he’ll leave us alone at six in the morning.</p><p>[Panel 6: Tony is still standing outside the door, his armor next to him, as Peter opens the door; he’s in his Spider-Man costume, pulling his mask on.]</p><p>Peter: Not here. Not with my family.</p><p>We’re going <em><strong>outside</strong></em>.</p><p>Tony: Totally fine.</p><p>[Page 11]</p><p>[Panel 1: Large panel. Peter and Tony sit on the top of Horizon Tower, both unmasked and holding a cup of coffee. With the sun beginning to rise over the harbor, they both have a perfect view of the harbor, as the snow hardens around them after a slow night of sleet and ice.]</p><p>Peter: I, uh… I have work in an hour.</p><p>So… say your piece, I guess.</p><p>[Panel 2: As Tony talks, Peter sips from his coffee, nodding.]</p><p>Tony: So… I don’t suppose an apology makes up for the worst of it, huh?</p><p>Peter: <strong><em>Nope</em></strong>. This is good coffee, though.</p><p>Tony: Thought you might like it. It’s imported from Argentina.</p><p>Peter: Hmm.</p><p>[Panel 3: Peter gestures to Tony’s armor, which Tony himself touches; it’s not a weapon to him, not anymore, at least.]</p><p>Peter: I thought you said you were <em><strong>retired</strong></em>.</p><p>Tony: The armor is more of a...<em><strong>convenience</strong></em>.</p><p>It’s billions of dollars worth of investments in aerospace and flight tech. Figured that even if I’m not Iron Man anymore…</p><p>I shouldn’t let it go to waste.</p><p>Peter: You should make a<em><strong> flying car</strong></em>. It would send less of a mixed message.</p><p>Tony: Already working on it.</p><p>Peter: Hmm.</p><p>[Panel 4: The two sit in silence, with Peter taking a sip of his coffee. Silent panel.]</p><p>[Page 12]</p><p>[Panel 1: Tony turns to Peter, who sits there; he promised he’d let Tony say his piece, and he’s going to keep his word.]</p><p>Tony: I <em><strong>know</strong> </em>that I did a lot of bad, Pete.</p><p>I’m not gonna <em><strong>try</strong> </em>and deny that. But… I think for all that <strong><em>bad</em></strong>, I did a lot of <em><strong>good</strong></em>.</p><p>[Panel 2: Tony takes a sip of his coffee in a portrait shot.]</p><p>Tony: We took down AIM.</p><p>HYDRA was on the run. ULTIMATUM was falling apart.</p><p>Madripoor was finally looking livable for the average person. We got unemployment down through military and manufacturing.</p><p>You know, big picture stuff.</p><p>[Panel 3: Tony looks off into the sunrise, the bags of exhaustion in his eyes emphasized by the shading of the sun.]</p><p>Tony: I dunno if that <em><strong>really</strong> </em>justifies anything I did, but… the greater good meant more to me.</p><p>Short and long-term.</p><p>[Panel 4: Tony turns to Peter, who is taking a sip of his own beverage.]</p><p>Tony: And I know you probably expect me to <em><strong>condemn</strong> </em>what I did on reflection.</p><p>And some of it, I <em><strong>will</strong></em>. ONEIROI, locking Cindy in the tower…</p><p>[Panel 5: Tony looks down at his drink, sighing as he wraps up his piece.]</p><p>Tony: But some of it I did because it was the right thing to do.</p><p>Now we have hindsight. And most of it didn’t pan out the way we wanted, but--</p><p>-- we took the best path that was the least painful. And take it from somebody who hurt a <strong><em>lot</em></strong>--</p><p>--it was worth it for everybody.</p><p>[Panel 6: Tony turns back to Peter, tipping his cup towards him.]</p><p>Tony: Anyways, I’ve said my piece.</p><p>Anything you want to--</p><p>Peter: Yeah.</p><p>Tony: Go ahead.</p><p>[Page 13]</p><p>[Panel 1: A shot of Peter, as he examines his mask in the rising sunlight.]</p><p>Peter: I promised myself a lot of things when I married Mary Jane, Tony. And I made <strong><em>more</em> </strong>promises when Annie was born.</p><p>When I <em><strong>took Cindy in</strong></em>.</p><p>When <em><strong>Mayday came home</strong></em>.</p><p>That I wouldn’t let <strong><em>anybody</em> </strong>hurt them, and that I’d go to the ends of the Earth for them.</p><p>You threatened my family, that one night. <strong><em>God</em></strong>, I don’t even know when it was. That was when I saw the first big glimpse of <em><strong>you</strong></em>.</p><p>[Panel 2: Similar to panel 1, though Peter is now gesturing at Tony with his head.]</p><p>Peter: I remember the day you brought me in. For the whole <em><strong>Doctor Octopus</strong></em> thing.</p><p>I wasn’t <em><strong>scared</strong></em>. But what <strong><em>did</em> </strong>scare me was that I <strong><em>saw it coming</em></strong>. And that it didn’t surprise me anymore.</p><p>I didn’t do the right thing, I’ll <em><strong>admit</strong> </em>to that. But you had all the power in the world.</p><p>And that meant you got to say what passed and what didn’t.</p><p>[Panel 3: Similar to panel 1 and 2.]</p><p>Peter: You and your team took it upon yourselves to bring down your sense of justice on me--</p><p>--because it was <strong><em>your</em> </strong>will, and that made it right to <strong><em>you</em></strong>.</p><p>You decided to watch me because I did something that you found terrible.</p><p>And the worst part is that you’d been <em><strong>grooming</strong> </em>me to be there. Back whatever play you were calling.</p><p>That could’ve been <em><strong>me</strong> </em>on that death panel instead of Jess, or Vis, or Carol. And that <strong><em>terrifies</em> </strong>me.</p><p>[Panel 4: Another panel similar to panel 1.]</p><p>Peter: And <strong><em>then</em> </strong>you locked Cindy up in the tower.</p><p>A tower that I <em><strong>worked</strong> </em>and <em><strong>lived</strong> </em>in. A place that I thought was <strong><em>free</em> </strong>because the Avengers lived there.</p><p>[Panel 5: Zoomed out to show Horizon Tower, with Peter and Tony merely specks on it.]</p><p>Peter: And that was when I finally got it through my head.</p><p>That if something didn’t line up with the way you saw the world--</p><p>--or whatever conflicted with your version of justice--</p><p>--you just <em><strong>locked it away</strong></em>. Pretended it didn’t exist.</p><p>Because Tony Stark sees the future, and he can do no wrong.</p><p>[Panel 6: As Tony opens his mouth to retort, Peter talks over him.]</p><p>Tony: I--</p><p>Peter: And look where <em><strong>that</strong> </em>line of thinking got us.</p><p>A couple of broken men sitting on the roof drinking coffee.</p><p>[Page 14]</p><p>[Panel 1: Silent panel. Peter and Tony both drink their coffee in silence, letting the wind brush over their hair.]</p><p>[Panel 2: Peter suddenly gets up, putting on his mask as Tony watches him.]</p><p>Peter: ...I have to go to work.</p><p>Tony: Peter, I--</p><p>Peter: Tony, listen. I<em><strong> don’t</strong> </em>hate you. But what you made <strong><em>me</em> </strong>into, I <em><strong>do</strong></em>. Let alone what I could’ve <strong><em>become</em></strong>.</p><p>[Panel 3: Peter pulls his mask over his head, his mouth barely visible as he does so.]</p><p>Peter: You say you’ve changed… and to be honest?</p><p>I’m not sure I believe you.</p><p>And until you stop making the same mistakes?... I don’t think I ever <em><strong>will</strong></em>.</p><p>[Panel 4: Peter looks down at Tony, who is looking back to the sunrise. Peter’s lenses are styled in a way that tells us that while he means what he said, he could’ve said it a little less harshly.]</p><p>Peter: …</p><p>… Be seeing you, Tony.</p><p>[Panel 5: Peter jumps off the side, falling downwards into the cityscape below and firing off a webline. Silent panel.]</p><p>[Panel 6: Tony holds his head in his hands, his coffee cup off to the side, as the sun finally peaks and gives way to blue skies; it’s a new day, but Tony doesn’t feel it. Silent panel]</p><p>[Page 15]</p><p>[Panel 1: Tony’s penthouse. Landing on the veranda, (Stark-made, of course, to contain the weight and gear of the Iron Man armor) Tony has begun de-armoring, with his face-plate retracting.]</p><p>???: You’re home.</p><p>Tony: I know.</p><p>Anything big happen while I was gone?</p><p>???: Depends on what you define as “big.”</p><p>[Panel 2: Tony goes inside the apartment, his armor slowly disassembling off of him as holograms of recent events that happened when he wasn’t at breakfast.]</p><p>???: Well, for starters, Hammer Multinational tried to lobby a new bill to Congress.</p><p>Let them provide <strong><em>munitions</em> </strong>to the Symkarian government.</p><p>Tony: Mmm-hmm.</p><p>???: The UK Parliament offered Captain Britain the Minister of Defense position.</p><p>Tony: He’s a good fit. He accept?</p><p>[Panel 3: Tony begins moving into the kitchen, as the armor has come off up to the knees.]</p><p>???: Not yet. Rumors suggest he’s using the offer as leverage to support supplementary Mutant rights on the floor.</p><p>Tony: Huh. Tell him I send my congrats, I guess.</p><p>[Panel 4: Tony opens the refrigerator, pulling out a carton of orange juice as he does so.]</p><p>Tony: Anything else?</p><p>???: Nothing new. But I do have a question.</p><p>Tony: I didn’t program you to <strong><em>ask questions</em></strong>.</p><p>???: That hurt, you know.</p><p>[Panel 5: Tony slams the door of the refrigerator, chugging the orange juice straight from the carton.]</p><p>Tony: <em><strong>Don’t care</strong></em>.</p><p>…</p><p>[Panel 6: After a bit of silence, Tony looks around, realizing what he said.]</p><p>Tony: I… uh, <strong><em>Steve</em></strong>?</p><p>Are you <em><strong>there</strong></em>?</p><p>[Panel 7: In the darkness, a hand made of hardlight and covered in a hardlight combat glove, touches Tony’s shoulder warmly.]</p><p>???: Of course I am.</p><p>[Page 16]</p><p>[Panel 1: Large panel. STEVE, a hard-light holographic AI of Captain America, is revealed as Tony’s other creation.]</p><p>STEVE: That’s why you <em><strong>made</strong> </em>me, Tony.</p><p>To be your <strong><em>friend</em></strong>.</p><p>Also helps that I moonlight as your conscience.</p><p>[Panel 2: Tony looks at the hologram, suddenly having a moral crisis at being faced with the person he broke up the Avengers against.]</p><p>Tony: …</p><p>STEVE: Tony? Are you okay?</p><p>[Panel 3: Tony’s face is obscured in shadow, as he bows his head in shame.]</p><p>Tony: Maybe this was a <em><strong>mistake</strong></em>.</p><p>Talking to <strong><em>you</em></strong>, I mean. And <em><strong>Peter</strong></em>…</p><p>[Panel 4: Tony walks away, as STEVE watches, putting his gloved hands on his tactical belt.]</p><p>Tony: You remember Peter, right?</p><p>STEVE: You based me off the original Cap. <em><strong>Of course</strong></em> I know Peter.</p><p>You were <strong><em>friends</em></strong>.</p><p>Tony: More or less.</p><p>[Panel 5: Tony looks off to the side, with a look of exhaustion, sadness and a bit of self-reflection. Silent panel.]</p><p>[Panel 6: Repeat of panel 5.]</p><p>Tony: We <em><strong>started out</strong></em> that way.</p><p>[Page 17]</p><p>[Panel 1: A panel of Tony from Amazing Spider-Man #529, talking to Peter as he enters the lab to see the new Iron Spider armor. Art and colors will establish that all of the panels on this page are of a flashback type.]</p><p>Tony: I’m almost done putting the final touches to your new uniform.</p><p>I’ve taken the opportunity to make some slight… <strong><em>improvements</em></strong>.</p><p>[Panel 2: A recreation of Amazing Spider-Man #532; Peter and Tony, standing amongst the ruins of Stamford, Peter in the Iron Spider armor.]</p><p>Peter: Look at them, Tony… the way they’re looking at us-- the rage in their eyes.</p><p>It’s as if they think we’re <em><strong>responsible</strong></em>.</p><p>Tony: And why not? No, <em><strong>we’re</strong></em> not responsible. But we’re in the same <strong><em>fraternity of powers</em></strong>.</p><p>[Panel 3: The first panel that isn’t from the mainline universe; rather, it’s the same flashback that was shown in Friendly Neighborhood #1 and 9, with Peter leaving the New Avengers. Silent panel.]</p><p>[Panel 4: A recreation of the confrontation between Peter and Tony in the “Schisms” prose, where Tony is deliberately provoking Peter. Peter, on the other hand, is furious and seeing red.]</p><p>Tony: You want to know why you want Osborn dead, and not Doc Ock?! Not Electro, or FACADE?</p><p>[Panel 5: Tony’s doorstep at Avengers Tower, with the Iron Spider armor, torn to shreds and waldoes torn apart. Silent panel.]</p><p>[Panel 6: Peter and Cindy, watching as Tony (Donning the Model Prime armor) walks away from the two; Cindy is holding Tony’s business card in her hands, unsure whether or not to accept the offer without knowledge of Tony’s blackmail to Peter to hand her over.]</p><p>Tony: Avengers!</p><p>We’re done here!</p><p>[Page 18]</p><p>[Panel 1: Back to Tony in the present, where he’s sitting in his dark penthouse, with only a hologram to keep him company.]</p><p>Tony: Nowadays? No, I don't think so. And maybe he's better off that way.</p><p>STEVE: Wouldn’t you say that your falling out was <strong><em>justified</em></strong>, Tony?</p><p>[Panel 2: Tony gestures, boringly saving his hand jerkily off to the side.]</p><p>Tony: Oh, more than earned it. Even earned that scar he gave me on my lip.</p><p>[Panel 3: Tony pits his head in his hands; he’s more tired than anything, but now the exhaustion is getting to him.]</p><p>Tony: But now I’m stuck.</p><p>Trying to set things right is a lot harder than screwing up.</p><p>[Panel 4: STEVE, doing what Tony thinks is a good Cap, gives an inspirational little word puzzle.]</p><p>STEVE: That’s right. It is harder, soldier. But that’s why we set the bar high.</p><p>We have a responsibility— an obligation— to attend to our mistakes.</p><p>Hope others emulate our behavior—</p><p>Tony: Because it’s how we get to a better tomorrow.</p><p>STEVE: Exactly.</p><p>But we shouldn’t do our best simply because we have to.</p><p>[Panel 5: STEVE keeps talking, as HAPPY rezzes in.]</p><p>STEVE: We do it because we <em><strong>can</strong></em>.</p><p>HAPPY: Hey, boss? We might have a <strong><em>problem</em></strong>.</p><p>[Page 19]</p><p>[Panel 1: As STEVE derezzes, vanishing into bits, HAPPY moves over to Tony, who has put the orange juice down on the counter.]</p><p>STEVE: Good talk, Tony.</p><p>Tony: Thanks for the pep talk, STEVE. If you don’t mind…?</p><p>STEVE: Yep.</p><p>[Panel 2: Tony pinches the bridge of his nose, using the other hand to rub his temples as HAPPY hands over a glass tablet with holographic displays.]</p><p>HAPPY: Sorry for breaking up the moment, boss.</p><p>Tony: It’s fine. I don’t want to talk about it.</p><p>HAPPY: Then how about this?</p><p>[Panel 3: Tony takes the tablet, still rubbing his head as he begins reading.]</p><p>Tony: Gonna have to…</p><p>[Panel 4: Tony is reading the tablet, a look of horror on his face.]</p><p>Tony: Oh my god.</p><p>Secretary [OP Capt]: Mr. Stark? <strong><em>Mr. Stark!</em></strong></p><p>[Page 20]</p><p>[Panel 1: The new Stark Industries headquarters in Houston. Tony is dearmoring, storming through reception in a seething fire; he’s freshly shaved (Covered in several cuts for rushing) and wearing a suit that was clearly hastily thrown on last-minute. His secretary, a young intern, is chasing after him in a panic.]</p><p>Tony: Not right now, Melody.</p><p>Melody: Mr. Stark, I am <strong><em>so sorry</em></strong>!</p><p>The social media managers and press corps were told to jump the gun, and I couldn’t--</p><p>[Panel 2: Tony storms into the elevator, Melody following him as several papers fly off behind her.]</p><p>Tony: How the hell did this <strong><em>happen</em></strong>, Melody?!</p><p>Melody: I was just--</p><p>Tony: I know-- it wasn’t your fault!</p><p>[Panel 3: The two stand in the elevator, watching it go up. The back is transparent, lending a nice view of the Houston skyline.]</p><p>Tony: But, I’m just saying here-- all of my shares in Stark International--bought?</p><p>Melody: I’m afraid so, sir.</p><p>Tony: But I’m--</p><p>Melody: The majority shareholder, sir, yes.</p><p>[Panel 4: Scarlet Spider lands, upside down, on the back of the elevator, as Tony and Melody argue; the soundproofing keeps Kaine’s impact from being noticed. Hummingbird is floating next to Kaine, observing the altercation from a distance.]</p><p>Tony: So this guy must’ve been building up capital for a while.</p><p>And have a really good way of getting the board to give him--</p><p>[Panel 5: Kaine is sticking to the window by his feet, giving Tony two middle fingers (Censored by the heads of both Tony and Melody) as the two continue talking. Still floating in the background, Hummingbird is cackling, floating on her back as she recoils from the laugh.]</p><p>Tony: So when do I meet him?</p><p>Melody: Uh… right now?</p><p>Tony: Now?</p><p>[Page 21]</p><p>[Panel 1: Tony storms out of the elevator, with Melody quickly following him and trying to keep up. Silent panel.]</p><p>[Panel 2: Tony bursts into the conference room down the hall, multiple members of the Stark board looking at him. Silent panel.]</p><p>[Panel 3: The figure at the head of the table, looking away from the open door, with the focus of the rest of the board turned back to him.]</p><p>???: Oh, good, he’s <strong><em>here</em></strong>.</p><p>So, to begin, I want to thank all of you for coming on such short notice.</p><p>With that out of the way--</p><p>[Panel 4: The man turns around in a portrait shot, revealing the man behind the buyout. It’s a near-duplicate of Tony, albeit blonde, and leaning more towards his Robert Downey Jr. look, beard and goatee and all. This is Gregory Stark, a carryover from the Ultimate Universe; that means nothing good can come from this.]</p><p>Gregory Stark: My name is <strong><em>Gregory Stark</em></strong>--</p><p>--and I’m your new CEO and majority shareholder.</p><p>Let’s get down to <em><strong>business</strong></em>, shall we?</p><p>[To be continued]</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Steel Hands, Gloves Off</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tony does some number crunching and goes on a business trip, followed by making some calls to some old contracts.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Indomitable Iron Man #2 (of 4)<br/>“Steel Hands, Gloves Off”</p><p>Writer: Neil Bogenrieder<br/>Assistant Writer: Alex Cook<br/>Editor: Mohammed Jaafar</p><p>Preferred Art Team: Sarah Stone</p><p>[Page 1 and 2]</p><p>[Double Page Spread, with several different panels containing various news outlets discussing the latest acquisition of Stark Industries, Solutions, International and Innovations, as well as Tony’s latest bankruptcy.]</p><p>Reporters: <em>In a sudden and lightning fast corporate blitzkrieg--</em></p><p>
  <em>--Gregory Stark, previously unknown brother of corporate magnate and former Secretary of Defense Tony Stark--</em>
</p><p>
  <em>--acquisition of all of Stark Industries and its subsidiaries, leaving Stark --</em>
</p><p>
  <em>--sparks a new discussion on the private life of Howard and Maria--</em>
</p><p>
  <em>--status of Stark’s status as Iron Man hangs in the balance--</em>
</p><p>
  <em>--only one person remains unquestioned in this unprecedented move… Tony Stark himself.</em>
</p><p>[Page 3]</p><p>[Panel 1: Tony and Janet sit in the lobby of a Stark Industries building, dressed in business clothes. Tony looks despondent, ragged and beaten, not sure how to process what has happened, while Janet, in all her pantsuit-wearing wisdom, has a single hand on Tony’s thigh.]</p><p>Janet: It’s gonna be okay, you know.</p><p>Tony: Mm-hmm…</p><p>Janet: You’ve got a backup somewhere, you’ll start a new company, and everything will be—</p><p>[Panel 2: Tony sits back, breathing heavily as Janet looks at him in a look of surprise: Tony’s always been a long-term planner, and this out-of-character move has definitely caught her attention.]</p><p>Tony: Yeah… <em><strong>no</strong></em>.</p><p>Janet: No?</p><p>Tony: When I was contracted as the Director of SHIELD, I consolidated all my subsidiaries and operation costs into Stark Industries.</p><p>Which means that everything I own goes through that single <em><strong>pipeline</strong></em>.</p><p>[Panel 3: Jan looks off to the side, sporting a grimace that indicates she just now realizes how screwed Tony is.]</p><p>Janet: I… <em><strong>oof</strong></em>.</p><p>Tony: Yeah. <em><strong>Oof</strong></em>.</p><p>[Panel 4: Janet puts her hand on his shoulder, letting him know that no matter what happens, she has his back.]</p><p>Janet: Tony, if you need <em><strong>anything</strong></em>… I’ll be there for you.</p><p>But you’ve got this.</p><p>You’re a self-made man from the ground up. If anybody can figure it out… it’s you.</p><p>Tony: Thanks, Jan.</p><p>[Panel 5: One of Tony’s secretaries comes into the lobby, opening the door to let him in.]</p><p>Secretary: Mr. Stark? Mr… uh, Stark is ready for you.</p><p>[Panel 6: Tony walks in, as Janet gives him finger guns in support.]</p><p>Janet: Go get ‘em.</p><p>[Page 4]</p><p>[Panel 1: Tony walks into the room, a look of contempt on his face as he looks at the man off-Panel.]</p><p>Gregory [OP]: You know, I’m glad we could sit down and talk.</p><p>As far as public memory goes, you’ve never been particularly fond of it.</p><p>[Panel 2: The shot turns and expands, showing a side-by-side of the two Stark brothers staring each other down.]</p><p>Tony: Well, for once the public knows something about me that’s right.</p><p>Gregory: Well, we’re all surprised from time to time.</p><p>Take a seat.</p><p>[Panel 3: Tony and Gregory sit down, with Tony gesturing to Gregory in a manner that indicates he’s not sure how to proceed from here.]</p><p>Tony: So, I… how?</p><p>Gregory: That’s the billion dollar question, isn’t it?</p><p>And I suppose I’m the only one in the room who can <em><strong>afford</strong> </em>it.</p><p>[Panel 4: Similar to panel 3, only the two are now seated; Tony glares at Gregory, who holds his hands up.]</p><p>Gregory: <em><strong>Joke. Not funny.</strong></em></p><p>[Panel 5: Gregory pulls up a couple of holograms, with holograms of Howard and Maria Stark the most prominent.]</p><p>Gregory: Anyways… elephant in the room.</p><p>Turns out mom and dad were a lot better at keeping secrets than you… little brother.</p><p>[Panel 6: Tony raises an eyebrow; the very concept of somebody being born before him in the Stark lineage is a hard pill for him to swallow.]</p><p>Tony: “Little?”</p><p>[Page 5]</p><p>[Panel 1: Gregory shrugs, straightening out his suit with his free hand.]</p><p>Gregory: Hey, now, don’t shoot the messenger.</p><p>You want to blame somebody? Blame mom.</p><p>[Panel 2: Gregory hands Tony a manila folder with his name labeled on it.]</p><p>Gregory: It’s all in here, if you want to take a look at it.</p><p>In the meantime, I wanted to talk about my plans going forward.</p><p>For Stark International, that is.</p><p>[Panel 3: Tony takes the folder, moving it to his side as he looks down at it.]</p><p>Tony: Sure, I guess. Not like we have much to talk about on the family front.</p><p>Gregory: Glad we agree on something.</p><p>Now, about our financial plans going forward…</p><p>[Panel 4: Gregory pulls up another hologram, this time with a focal point in several older models of Iron Man armor. (Namely the Prometheum armor, Silver Centurion, War Machine, Model 43 Stealth Armor, and Extremis armors.)]</p><p>Gregory: I was thinking about the <strong><em>Iron Man armors</em></strong>.</p><p>How we could use them to jumpstart Stark Industries’ next fiscal quarter.</p><p>[Panel 5: Gregory points to a new hologram pointing up, this time the logo of the United States Air Force.]</p><p>Gregory: Your friend, Rhodes, he’s the Air Force's liaison to Stark Industries. The Iron Man armor, even the most basic, round POS Model 1--</p><p>Tony: I’m <strong><em>proud</em> </strong>of that thing, by the way.</p><p>Gregory: --I was about to say, even that thing is the pinnacle of aerospace flight and weapons platforms.</p><p>It’s a small army waiting to be deployed at the drop of a hat.</p><p>[Panel 6: Gregory looks back to Tony, who raises an eyebrow in alarm.]</p><p>Gregory: We’re sitting on one of the single largest defense contracts the military industrial complex has ever seen.</p><p>And the board of directors is all in on that play.</p><p>[Page 6]</p><p>[Panel 1: Tony glares at Gregory, finally taking in the message.]</p><p>Tony: You want to sell the armors as weapons.</p><p>Not to push us out onto the frontier. But to bomb the crap out of each other.</p><p>[Panel 2: Gregory waves his hand at his side, as Tony moves to stand up.]</p><p>Gregory: Yes, <em><strong>and</strong></em>?</p><p>If people want our technology for whatever reason, it’s our job to provide.</p><p>God, you’re just like that <em><strong>moron</strong> </em>Reed Richards. “For the betterment of humanity…”</p><p>[Panel 3: Tony has stood up, pointing at Gregory, who shrugs.]</p><p>Tony: I’ll do… <em><strong>something</strong></em>. Whatever it takes.</p><p>But I won’t let you sell my armor to the world.</p><p>Gregory: You don’t have much choice.</p><p>[Panel 4: Gregory’s face, smug with victory.]</p><p>Gregory: When you unmasked yourself as Iron Man, your armors became Stark Industries property.</p><p>The suit you’re wearing right now? We’ll hammer it out.</p><p>But there’s a hall full of armors in Bikini Atoll and New York that I think deserve a little appreciation.</p><p>[Panel 5: Tony’s brow furrows, as he realizes how deeply he’s screwed up.]</p><p>Tony: …</p><p>This isn’t over.</p><p>[Panel 6: Tony storms out of the conference room, Gregory sitting down and watching him.]</p><p>Gregory: Of course not.</p><p>It wouldn’t be like you to quit, would it?</p><p>[Page 7]</p><p>[Panel 1: Janet stands up, putting away her phone in her purse as Tony storms out past the reception desk.]</p><p>Janet: Tony! Did everything--?</p><p>Tony: We’re leaving.</p><p>[Panel 2: Close-up of Janet, who raises an eyebrow in confusion.]</p><p>Janet: Wait, what did… what happened?</p><p>[Panel 3: Tony clenches his teeth, not even looking back to see Janet running up to catch him.]</p><p>Tony: Enough to make everything here wrong.</p><p>When I get home…</p><p>[Panel 4: Tony and Janet arrive at the elevator, with Tony mashing the button for the ground floor.]</p><p>Tony: ...I’m gonna hit him with everything I--</p><p>Janet: Tony. Tony.</p><p>[Panel 5: As the elevator door closes, Jan takes the time to calm Tony down. Silent panel.]</p><p>[Panel 6: The lift begins descending, as Janet rubs her hands up and down Tony’s arms.]</p><p>Janet: Okay. So. Could be better. Could be a lot worse, though.</p><p>When we get back to New York, we’ll sit down--</p><p>--and think this through.</p><p>Okay?</p><p>[Panel 7: Tony looks off to the side, leaning on the glass side of the elevator and using his arm as support.]</p><p>Tony: ...Okay.</p><p>[Page 8]</p><p>[Panel 1: One week later, in Tony’s penthouse. Janet and Tony are sat down, pouring over a slurry of financial documents.]</p><p>Janet: Well, I finally found something that might explain where he came from.</p><p>Tony: Do tell.</p><p>Janet: A small startup. Event Horizon Industries.</p><p>Tony: What was their specialization?</p><p>[Panel 2: Janet picks up the record, holding five more in her other hand.]</p><p>Janet: Well, that’s where things get interesting.</p><p>Then another startup. This time in food distribution.</p><p>Then another. And another. Pretty soon--</p><p>--he was strong enough through a thousand small properties that he could stand against you.</p><p>[Panel 3: Tony reclines in his desk chair, realizing the situation is way out of his control now.]</p><p>Tony: And he built up the capital needed to take me out of the game.</p><p>That’s… I can’t even imagine how smart he’d…</p><p>Janet: I… yeah. Look, I’m sorry, Tony, but…</p><p>This looks like a dead end.</p><p>[Panel 4: Janet moves behind Tony, kissing him on the forehead.]</p><p>Janet: I wish there was--</p><p>Tony: No, Jan, we had a helluva good run.</p><p>Guess it’s the… <em><strong>fifth</strong> </em>time life has told me to stop making more corporations?</p><p>Maybe we can build a farm and grow old together… or something.</p><p>[Panel 5: As Tony leans back further, HAPPY rezzes into the room, carrying his clipboard again.]</p><p>HAPPY: Sorry to disturb the moment, boss, but--</p><p>Tony: No, no problem. What’s up, HAPPY?</p><p>[Panel 6: A close-up of HAPPY’s concerned face at the news he’s about to deliver.]</p><p>HAPPY: We just got word.</p><p>There was an attack on Symkaria. Civilian casualties.</p><p>The attackers were Iron Man drones.</p><p>[Page 9]</p><p>[Panel 1: Symkaria, in the middle of the night in a forest. A helicopter flies overhead, as several spotlights flood light onto the wreckage of what appears to be a crashed drone. No dialogue.]</p><p>[Panel 2: One of the helicopters lands, with Silver Sable and her Wild Pack exiting the craft and speaking in Symkarian.]</p><p>Sable: <span>This is it?</span></p><p>Foxtrot: <span>Affirmative, ma’am. Target was identified flying over the Latverian border at 0012 hours.</span></p><p>Tango: <span>Contact was at 0200 in Aniana airspace. Thirteen military casualties, twenty civilians.</span></p><p>
  <span>Anti-Air batteries knocked<em><strong> these two</strong></em> out of the sky.</span>
</p><p>[Panel 3: Sable and her team move into the spotlights, where several military technicians are examining the wreckage.]</p><p>Sable: <span>Tell HIGHCOM to commend the troopers that shot them down. They saved lives today.</span></p><p>Juliet: <span>Aye, Ma’am.</span></p><p>Sable: <span>Hands up! Stand down or we open fire!</span></p><p>[Panel 4: Large panel. In a crater of snow, smoke, ash and Earth lie two MK 43 Stealth Iron Man armors, their pilots’ bodies twisted by the impact.]</p><p>Sable: ...we figure out why Latveria is sending such <strong><em>poor excuses</em></strong> for <strong><em>pilots</em> </strong>into my country.</p><p>[Page 10]</p><p>[Panel 1: Sable looks up in alarm as a voice speaks to her; Foxtrot, Juliet, Tango and X-Ray, on the other hand, are at the ready with weapons raised and poised to fire.]</p><p>???: I can help answer that.</p><p>Foxtrot: <span>Hands up! Stand down or we open fire!</span></p><p>???: Don’t shoot! Friendly, not foe!</p><p>[Panel 2: Iron Man, in the model prime armor, flies down as Silver Sable gestures for the Wild Pack to stand down.]</p><p>Iron Man: First of all… you really think Doctor Doom would bother purchasing<strong><em> Iron Man armors</em></strong>?</p><p>Sable: Stark?</p><p>Iron Man: He’s too proud to even <em><strong>consider</strong> </em>that. He always shops in-house.</p><p>And they’re usually colored gray and green.</p><p>[Panel 3: Landing, Iron Man examines the crash site, with Silver Sable and the Wild Pack watching him.]</p><p>Sable: Stark, why is <strong><em>your</em> </strong>tech in <em><strong>my</strong> </em>country?</p><p>Iron Man: Brother took over, he’s been mass-producing these things for defense contracts.</p><p>...That’s weird.</p><p>Sable: Yes?</p><p>[Panel 4: Iron Man looks back at a shocked Silver Sable, who is bewildered by what Tony is saying.]</p><p>Iron Man: Aside from some weird EM readings from the suit…</p><p>My scanners say that the FOF tags are <em><strong>Symkarian</strong></em>.</p><p>Sable: <em><strong>What</strong></em>?!</p><p>But we’ve never even purchased any armor from Stark Industries!</p><p>[Panel 5: Iron Man moves downwards into the pit, with Sable close behind.]</p><p>Sable: Unless…</p><p>Iron Man: Yes?</p><p>Sable: Countess Katrina of the Karkov family. She’s been scheming to overtake the Sablinovas as the rulers of Symkaria.</p><p>[Panel 6: Iron Man puts his hands on his hips as Sable slides down the slope of the crater.]</p><p>Sable: I had hoped to put the bad blood of our families behind us by offering her a job in my cabinet.</p><p>Minister of defense.</p><p>Iron Man: I’m guessing that didn’t pan out.</p><p>Sable: <strong><em>Clearly not</em></strong>, if my guess is correct.</p><p>[Page 11]</p><p>[Panel 1: Iron Man and Silver Sable move towards the twisted wreckage, with Tony pointing at the nearest wreck.]</p><p>Iron Man: Still, I think that if my brother’s selling weapons behind the back of the government…</p><p>...I think that makes it a--</p><p>[Panel 2: Pulling off the faceplate of the suit, Iron Man recoils, along with Silver Sable. (Who makes a look of disgust.]</p><p>Iron Man: --<em><strong>me problem.</strong></em></p><p>Silver Sable: <span>Lord, help me.</span></p><p>[Panel 3: Takes up the rest of the page. Inside is the pilot, with half of his face converted in a look of horror; melding him into the armor, and blending through the Stark aesthetics, is liquid metal. The few bits that are solidified around the face and neck are creating an iconography similar to one of the Avengers’ greatest threats: Ultron. No dialogue; just to let the horror of what’s happening sink in.]</p><p>[Page 12]</p><p>[Panel 1: Tony’s faceplate retracts, as Sable looks to him for an answer; any kind he can muster.]</p><p>Sable: Stark… what is this?</p><p>Tony: Something I thought was<em><strong> long gone</strong></em>.</p><p>[Panel 2: As Tony walks away from the scene, Sable looks towards him in need of said answer.]</p><p>Sable: And… what do we <em><strong>do</strong> </em>about it?</p><p>[Panel 3: Tony looks back to Sable, not knowing how to respond to the request. No dialogue.]</p><p>[Panel 4: Tony turns back around, his faceplate coming back over his face to mask his lack of confidence.]</p><p>Tony: I don’t know. But I will.</p><p>I’ll get back to you on that.</p><p>[Panel 5: Tony flies back into the sky, leaving a repulsor contrail behind him in the night winter air.]</p><p>[Page 13]</p><p>[Panel 1: Tony’s penthouse, as Tony lands on the veranda and the landing deck. No dialogue.]</p><p>[Panel 2: Armor peeling off him and moving to the storage vault, Tony takes out his phone as he moves up the stairs.]</p><p>Tony: Hey, uh… I need a… yeah, I know I need a <strong><em>bunch</em> </strong>of favors.</p><p>Listen… I’m gonna need you to meet me at <strong><em>Zero Year</em></strong>.</p><p>...Yeah,<em><strong> she’ll</strong></em> be there. No, you don’t have to talk to her if you don’t want to.</p><p>[Panel 3: Tony walks up the stairs, still on the phone. The storage locker closes up, with the Model Prime armor tightly tucked away.]</p><p>Tony: Look, this is something you have particular investment in.</p><p>Just… look, man, c’mon, just be there.</p><p>...Yeah.</p><p>[Panel 4: Tony arrives upstairs, with Jan reading a book in bed as Tony hangs up.]</p><p>Tony: Bye.</p><p>Janet: Who was that?</p><p>Tony: Work.</p><p>[Panel 5: Tony takes off his shirt, cricking his neck as he does so.]</p><p>Janet: Work? Already getting a new job?</p><p>Tony: Something like that.</p><p>[Page 14]</p><p>[Panel 1: Tony, now shirtless, gets in bed next to Jan, who smiles at him.]</p><p>Janet: I don’t suppose it has something to do with that prototype storage locker in the wall of your apartment?</p><p>Tony: Uh… TBD?</p><p>[Panel 2: Janet gestures to Tony with her free hand. (Her left one being used to support her torso.)]</p><p>Janet: Tony…</p><p>If you’re going to be Iron Man again, you don’t have to hide it from me.</p><p>[Panel 3: Tony sits back in bed, as Janet runs her fingers over his chest.]</p><p>Tony: I mean… yeah, it’s Iron Man stuff.</p><p>Would you believe me if I told you it was for a good reason?</p><p>Janet: Of course. That’s how we work. Mutual trust.</p><p>[Panel 4: Tony turns off the bedside light, as Janet snuggles up to him.]</p><p>Janet: All we can do is roll the dice…</p><p>[Panel 5: Pitch black.]</p><p>Janet [OP]: ...and hope that everything works out in the end.</p><p>[Page 15]</p><p>[Panel 1: Large establishing panel. Over the airspace of an auto factory in Detroit, Michigan, a quinjet appears out of the clouds.]</p><p>Capt: Detroit, Michigan</p><p>The Next Day</p><p>[Panel 2: The Quinjet lands, touching down just outside the factory. No dialogue.]</p><p>[Panel 3: Takes up the rest of the page, as Iron Man and Wasp exit the Quinjet. Iron Man is wearing his newest, and as-of-yet unpatented armor; with red and silver paint job, as well as a faceplate hearkening back to the Extremis era armor and the Silver Centurion. The biggest addition are two large repulsor jet strips on the back, connected at the tip to the shoulder blades; this allows for continuous flight and complicated mid-air maneuvers as well as maintained offensive awareness. Top-of-the-line, and it certainly looks expensive.]</p><p>Wasp: Have I mentioned that you look <strong><em>fantastic</em> </strong>in that new suit?</p><p>Iron Man: I always <em><strong>did</strong> </em>want to look nice for you. HAPPY?</p><p>HAPPY: Online, boss.</p><p>Good thing this firmware wasn’t patented, otherwise I’d probably be in <strong><em>Iran</em> </strong>right now.</p><p>Iron Man: Not to mention the suit.</p><p>Wasp: <em><strong>Lucky us</strong></em>.</p><p>[Page 16]</p><p>[Panel 1: Iron Man and Wasp exit the jet, as they approach the doors of the factory.]</p><p>Iron Man: HAPPY, run a scan for lifeforms.</p><p>HAPPY: Done. One lifeform in the structure.</p><p>[Panel 2: Iron Man looks up in confusion, with Wasp looking at him.]</p><p>HAPPY: Wait a sec… additional contact incoming.</p><p>Iron Man: That’s weird. He’s early.</p><p>Especially by his time.</p><p>Wasp: Tony, who’s--</p><p>[Panel 3: A large, green blurr lands near the Quinjet, rocking it as Tony and Wasp look over in surprise.]</p><p>Wasp: Whoa!</p><p>Iron Man: It’s okay, Jan.</p><p>[Panel 4: Out of the crater comes a man most people are too terrified to even look at. Past the Worldbreaker phase, but stuck somewhere around Professor, is the jade giant himself: the Incredible Hulk.]</p><p>Iron Man [OP]: He’s an old friend.</p><p>Wasp [OP]: Holy… you called up Hulk?!</p><p>[Panel 5: Hulk leans inwards, scaring Wasp with his sheer presence; Iron Man, knowing things could get heated, steps up in the middle.]</p><p>Hulk: He did.</p><p>You got a problem with that?</p><p>Iron Man: Okay, big guy, ease up. Everybody is <em><strong>rightfully</strong> </em>a little <strong><em>miffed</em> </strong>about--</p><p>[Panel 6: Hulk turns to Iron Man, pointing a finger at him to emphasize his point.]</p><p>Hulk: I’m sure. Doesn’t mean you can hang it over my head.</p><p>Or do you want me to hang every bad thing you’ve done over yours?</p><p>Iron Man: Let’s not and say we did.</p><p>Hulk: Exactly. It’s an unspoken thing.</p><p>[Page 17]</p><p>[Panel 1: Tony looks up, his helmet lacking expression but making up for it in posture.]</p><p>Tony: Fair enough.</p><p>Where is…?</p><p>[Panel 2: Hulk leers towards Tony, as Tony points up to the sky.]</p><p>Hulk: What’re you blabbering on about now?</p><p>Tony: Oh, I… I was just expecting some more guests.</p><p>HAPPY?</p><p>[Panel 3: A panel of inside of Tony’s helmet, as an alert blares on his HUD.]</p><p>HAPPY: Scanning all mystical frequenc-- Contact.</p><p>Two o’clock.</p><p>Tony: Now that’s punctuality.</p><p>[Panel 3: Taking up the rest of the page, in a crackle of lightning, comes Thor, God of Thunder. Like the rest of the assembled heroes, Thor’s garb has also drastically changed; not only is his hair trimmed and a beard growing on his face, his chest piece is emblazoned with a more Korbonite-centric pattern, his shoulder has an alien battle pauldon, and his cape flows from behind him as he spins Mjolnir from its lanyard. (Along with his streamlined helmet; all memorabilia of his travels across the cosmos with Beta Ray Bill before Bill joined the new Guardians lineup.)]</p><p>Thor: <em><strong>Stark</strong></em>.</p><p>You would have <em><strong>need</strong> </em>of me?</p><p>[Page 18]</p><p>[Panel 1: With Thor landing on the ground, the lightning spewing from the sky dissipates; however, the tone between the two is still incredibly tense.]</p><p>Iron Man: I… would? If I’m not overstepping my bounds.</p><p>[Panel 2: Like Hulk, Thor is less than pleased to see Tony; his grip on Mjolnir intensifies, if only for a brief moment, to remind Tony of his true power.]</p><p>Thor: It would be wise to <em><strong>assume</strong> </em>you <em><strong>are</strong></em>--</p><p>--before assuming that I’m yours to command.</p><p>I’m sure you recall our <em><strong>last</strong> </em>conversation?</p><p>[Panel 3: A quick flashback to JMS’ Thor run, specifically Thor #3, where Thor has utterly trounced Iron Man. Tony lays in a pile of fried circuits and overheated metal plates, as Thor bristles with lightning and anger. No dialogue; the point is made well enough.]</p><p>[Panel 4: Iron Man looks away; again, despite the lack of facial expression, it’s clear from his posture that he’s still embarrassed by his curb stomping.]</p><p>Iron Man: Only the <strong><em>cliffnotes</em></strong>, I think.</p><p>But the <em><strong>important bits</strong></em> are there.</p><p>[Panel 5: Moving past Iron Man, Thor has grabbed Hulk and Wasp, pulling them into a bear hug only an Asgardian could pull off.]</p><p>Thor: That said… Friend Wasp! Brother Hulk!</p><p>‘Tis good to see you again!</p><p>Hulk: Heh. S’good to see ya again, Puny God.</p><p>Wasp: Urk!</p><p>[Panel 6: As Tony walks towards the warehouse, the other three catch up in the background.]</p><p>Wasp: It’s… good to see you guys again.</p><p>How’s New Asgard turning out, Thor? Ready to turn <strong><em>Braxton</em> </strong>into a <strong><em>tourist trap</em></strong>?</p><p>Thor: It goes slowly, but surely.</p><p>Asgard may be <strong><em>rebuilt</em></strong>, but its people are still far-flung amongst the cosmos.</p><p>Wasp: Is that why you and Beta Ray Bill have been traveling together?</p><p>[Page 19]</p><p>[Panel 1: Thor slaps the blunt end of Mjolnir against his large, open hand, a sizable “thud” as a result.]</p><p>Thor: Aye. Bill has been a stalwart and loyal companion.</p><p>As an honorary Asgardian, he understands the urgency of that quest.</p><p>Which is why he has joined with the Guardians of the Galaxy: to find my people and bring them home.</p><p>[Panel 2: Thor ties Mjolnir to his waist, as Wasp and Hulk begin following Iron Man into the warehouse.]</p><p>Thor: I… apologize for <em><strong>rambling</strong></em>.</p><p>Wasp: Don’t. I might not <strong><em>get</em> </strong>having to save an entire race of people--</p><p>--but I know somebody who needs to <em><strong>rest</strong></em>.</p><p>Iron Man: As much as I hate to shoot that down--</p><p>--this might be the single <em><strong>worst</strong> </em>time to rest.</p><p>[Panel 3: Hulk raises an eyebrow, as Iron Man disappears into the shadows of the abandoned facility.]</p><p>Hulk: So. You gonna tell us why we’re here?</p><p>Or can I <em><strong>leave</strong></em>?</p><p>Iron Man: It’s in here.</p><p>[Panel 4: Janet, having walked in behind Tony, gasps in surprise at the sight she sees off-panel.]</p><p>Janet: Dunno why you’re being so secretive about it.</p><p>Wouldn’t hurt to-- <strong><em>Oh my.</em></strong></p><p>[Panel 5: We get to see what has caught Janet by surprise. In the middle of the factory, surrounded by computers and lab equipment, is Hank Pym. Instead of wearing the Yellowjacket costume, Hank has chosen to wear the Giant-Man costume; a stark contrast to his choice in apparel for the past several years.]</p><p>Hank: Tony? You’re right on ti--</p><p>[Panel 6: Hank clamps his mouth shut, realizing that Janet is in the room.]</p><p>Hank: …</p><p>[Page 20]</p><p>[Panel 1: Tony walks towards the center of the room, arms wide open as he addresses the assembled heroes.]</p><p>Tony: See? <em><strong>Founding Avengers</strong></em>, together again!</p><p>Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, am I right?</p><p>[Panel 2: The other four characters stare at Tony, clearly not amused; the poor attempt at humor does not give off a good first impression. No dialogue.]</p><p>[Panel 3: Tony sighs, opening a compartment on the back of his armor behind the booster frames.]</p><p>Tony: Yeah. I figured...</p><p>Maybe <em><strong>this</strong></em>’ll catch your interest.</p><p>[Panel 4: The compartment on his back closing, Tony clangs down the broken bits of the Ultron tech from Symkaria down on the center table. No dialogue.]</p><p>[Panel 5: A look of shock from all the other founding Avengers. Thor, in particular, is shocked by the re-emergence of one of their oldest and most dangerous foes.]</p><p>Thor: <em><strong>Ultron</strong></em>…</p><p>Hank: This… this isn’t a joke.</p><p>Tony: Yeah.</p><p>[Page 21]</p><p>[Splash page. The founding Avengers stand around, looking down at the wrecked technology. Any past quarrels between them are now off the table; Ultron is a far larger concern.]</p><p>Tony: Ultron is infecting my <em><strong>tech</strong></em>.</p><p>Infecting <em><strong>humans</strong></em>; turning them into twisted versions of himself.</p><p>And it’s up to <em><strong>us</strong> </em>to stop him.</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Any objections?</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>[To be continued.]</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The World of Tomorrow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tony and the founding Avengers begin the hunt for Ultron, but not without having some personal moments. Meanwhile, Ultron begins putting his own plans into motion.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Indomitable Iron Man #3 (of 4)<br/>
“The World of Tomorrow”</p><p>Writer: Neil Bogenrieder<br/>
Assistant Writer: Alex Cook<br/>
Editor: Mohammed Jaafar</p><p>Preferred Art Team: Sarah Stone</p><p>[Page 1]</p><p>[Panel 1: Establishing panel.Tony’s apartment building, with a heavy downpour of rain in lieu of a moonlit night. A bolt of lightning accents and shadows the buildings of the New York skyline. No dialogue.]</p><p>[Panel 2: Shot of Tony’s penthouse, with Giant-Man staring at a long and tall, almost revered, shelf of whiskey and malt liquor bottles in the hallway. No dialogue.]</p><p>[Panel 3: Tony, in full armor, walks up to Hank, looking over to the shelf that Hank is fixated on.]</p><p>Tony: You found it.</p><p>Hank: Hard to miss, considering how...organized everything is.</p><p>Tony: Yeah, I… figured.</p><p>It’s kinda intentional that way.</p><p>[Panel 4: Hank’s brow raises, in something of a confused state.]</p><p>Hank: How do you mean?</p><p>[Panel 5: Tony’s helmet unfolds, collapsing around his neckline as he looks at the shelf.]</p><p>Tony: I used to do this little thing. </p><p>Sit with an open bottle for an hour, and not take a sip. Tell myself that I can do better.</p><p>Eventually I just used it as an excuse to fall back into old habits.</p><p>[Page 2]</p><p>[Panel 1: Tony takes one of the bottles out, examining it warmly.]</p><p>Tony: But nowadays I just let these things sit on the shelf.</p><p>Because it reminds me without actively enabling it.</p><p>[Panel 2: Tony puts the bottle back on the shelf, sliding it neatly back into place.]</p><p>Tony: It took me a long time-- too long-- to really find out what I needed to.</p><p>You can’t run away from your mistakes.</p><p>Hank: I always assumed that you learned that long ago.</p><p>[Panel 3: Tony looks up, a faint smile on his face.]</p><p>Tony: You didn’t let me finish, Hank.</p><p>I can’t run away from my addictions. They’re always there.</p><p>But there’s not really a difference between letting them control you--</p><p>[Panel 4: The glass case slides shut, as Tony moves towards Hank, gesturing to the elevator.]</p><p>Tony: --and actively enabling them to control you.</p><p>Sometimes we just work on it a day at a time.</p><p>Hank: That was surprisingly mature, coming from you.</p><p>[Panel 5: Tony walks into the elevator, with Hank right behind him.]</p><p>Tony: Thanks. Jan wrote it down for me.</p><p>She’s really good at that kind of stuff.</p><p>[Page 3]</p><p>[Panel 1: In the elevator, with Tony and Hank looking awkwardly away from each other. No dialogue.]</p><p>[Panel 2: Tony looks over to Hank, who looks up at the ceiling. (Again, awkward.)]</p><p>Tony: Speaking of… are you sure you’re okay with this?</p><p>Hank: Meaning?...</p><p>Tony: I know things are still awkward between the two of you.</p><p>Frankly, I don’t blame either of you.</p><p>I just want to know if this is going to interfere.</p><p>[Panel 3: Hank’s head, as he looks off to the side.]</p><p>Hank: I don’t think so.</p><p>It’s been long enough, that we’ve both been able to forgive.</p><p>Tony: But who needs to be forgiven? And who needs to do the forgiving?</p><p>Hank: ...Jan says that some of it was on her. That she was provoking me.</p><p>But in the end, I was the one who…</p><p>[Panel 4: Hank holds his head in his hand, grimacing in self-anguish.]</p><p>Hank: Yeah. It’s on me.</p><p>[Panel 5: Tony looks to Hank, raising a sympathetic look to his friend and colleague.]</p><p>Tony: Hank. C’mon.</p><p>You were in a bad place. But you got help. And you’re working to make up for it every single day. And... sometimes that's the best we can do.</p><p>[Panel 6: Hank looks over to Tony, surprised; the whites of his lenses are the only thing that’s conveying emotion, but it’s enough to show that Tony’s words genuinely meant something to him. No dialogue.]</p><p>[Page 4]</p><p>[Panel 1: The elevator door opens, to reveal Tony’s lab; Wasp, Thor and Hulk are already standing there.]</p><p>Tony: So.</p><p>[Panel 2: Tony holds out an armored gauntlet, primed to shake with Hank’s.]</p><p>Tony: Ready to get to work?</p><p>[Panel 3: Hank looks down at the hand, hesitant. No dialogue.]</p><p>[Panel 4: Hank looks up, smiling lightly in knowing that he’s still needed. No dialogue.]</p><p>[Panel 5: The two hands shake, gripping each other.]</p><p>Hank: Ready. Always.</p><p>Tony: Glad to hear it.</p><p>[Page 5]</p><p>[Panel 1: Stark Tower, New York. The rain continues to pour, as Gregory stands in front of the ceiling-tall window. No dialogue.]</p><p>[Panel 2: Melody, Tony’s assistant from Houston, walks over to Gregory with a tablet in hand.]</p><p>Melody: Mr. Stark?</p><p>Gregory: Melody.</p><p>[Panel 3: Melody, with a look of concern, hands Gregory the tablet; on it are specs for several repurposed ICMBs, stationer at various rocket launch sites across the US.]</p><p>Melody: The… assets you requested are standing by.</p><p>They’re reading for surface-to-orbit launch on your call.</p><p>Gregory: Thank you.</p><p>[Panel 4: Melody uncomfortably looks off to the side, not sure how far she’s overstepping her bounds.]</p><p>Melody: ...Mr. Stark?</p><p>Gregory: Go ahead, Melody. Please.</p><p>Melody: If you don’t mind me asking, sir…</p><p>These are unmarked payloads on the rockets. And they don’t have a destination vector.</p><p>[Panel 5: Gregory leers over Melody, putting him back in what he thinks should be her place.]</p><p>Gregory: Your point, Melody?</p><p>Melody: Sir, what are these rockets for?</p><p>[Panel 6: Gregory’s eyes flash a deep, burning scarlet, as the eyes of Ultron glow beneath his skin.]</p><p>Gregory: The future of humanity, my dear. All per the directive of the man who brought me back--</p><p>--The future of all races in the cosmos.</p><p>[Page 6]</p><p>[Panel 1: With superhuman strength, Gregory grabs Melody by the faces, metal tubes sticking down her throat and neck as she struggles and screams.]</p><p>Gregory: Their extinction.</p><p>[Panel 2: Gregory drops Melody, catching the tablet as she does so.]</p><p>Gregory: I’ll take that, thank you.</p><p>[Panel 3: With Melody’s body collapsed on the floor, Gregory begins tinkering with the tablet and putting in commands to it.]</p><p>Gregory: Now…</p><p>[Panel 4: Gregory presses the “launch” button on the tablet, with the button itself turning red against the calming blue.]</p><p>[Panel 5: Gregory’s lip curls as he lets off a wicked smile.]</p><p>Gregory: ...it’s time for the rise of the machines among the stars.</p><p>[Page 7 and 8]</p><p>[Double page spread. The core image is a tactical grid image of the United States, with red blips appearing across the map. Several fringe panels are shown displaying rockets launching from multiple missile silos and bases across the US, including Houston, Florida, and various nuclear silos.]</p><p>Gregory [Capt]: The Avengers will be mobilized to intercept the missiles.</p><p>Despite this, I predict that they will not be able to destroy all missiles before they break orbit and FTL engines activate.</p><p>There is a 60.932 percent chance of everything proceeding exactly according to plan.</p><p>An acceptable margin of error--</p><p>[Page 9]</p><p>[Splash page. Gregory turns around, a wicked smile on his face as the glow of Ultron’s eyes and now mouth escape through his fake skin. Melody, meanwhile, is writhing on the floor, metal shards of Ultron bits piercing her skin and replacing her visible body parts.]</p><p>Ultron: --with this many pieces in play.</p><p>One way or another, humanity’s extinction is inevitable.</p><p>And will be replaced with a world of metal.</p><p>Perfection will replace anarchy.</p><p>And this is the way.</p><p>[Page 10]</p><p>[Panel 1: The Iron Man armory. Hulk has turned back into Bruce Banner, wearing a black and orange jumpsuit, with Hank and Tony next to him. Wasp and Thor, however, are chatting in the background.]</p><p>Bruce: I’ve been trapped inside the Hulk since…</p><p>...God, it’s been forever.</p><p>Giant-Man: Since World War Hulk, Bruce. At least, as far we’ve tracked.</p><p>Bruce: That’s what they’re calling it?</p><p>[Panel 2: Tony is sitting in front of his hologram of the globe, as Jan leans on his chair.]</p><p>Jan: Sooooo…. What’re you doing?</p><p>Tony: Trying to see if we can’t track Ultron remotely.</p><p>I made sure to record his energy signature last time, and I’m hoping to exploit that.</p><p>[Panel 3: Janet leans over to look Tony in the eye, raising an eyebrow in a confused disgust.]</p><p>Janet: Last time.</p><p>You mean… when he used liquid metal to transform into me.</p><p>And transformed you in me.</p><p>And wanted to transform everybody into me.</p><p>[Panel 4: Tony shrugs, not sure what to say to make Janet happy.]</p><p>Tony: I mean… it’s Ultron. Historically it made sense. I think?</p><p>[Panel 5: Janet looks back to Thor, as Tony goes back to work.]</p><p>Janet: ...Right.</p><p>Hey, Thor, got any good stories since… three seconds ago?</p><p>Thor: Nay, friend Wasp. Glorious stories take time to tell. And they do not come from sitting in a lab.</p><p>[Page 11]</p><p>[Panel 1: Tony begins typing into his built-in desktop, with Hank leaning over to look at the data.]</p><p>Hank: What’s this?</p><p>Tony: For when we finally do find Ultron.</p><p>Hank: And it is…?</p><p>[Panel 2: Tony continues typing, as Hank questions him.]</p><p>Tony: Something that’ll cripple him long enough for us to flick his Achilles Heel.</p><p>Thor: Achilles Heel? What madness are you rambling about now, Stark?</p><p>Tony: His killswitch, big man.</p><p>[Panel 3: Hank looks over to Tony, somewhat concerned.]</p><p>Hank: We’ve dealt with the killswitch before, Tony. Ultron knows that trick.</p><p>And he’s more than likely covered it with an inch thick plate of adamantium.</p><p>Tony: Which is what this virus is supposed to cover, among other things.</p><p>[Panel 4: Iron Man, next to a visual of the virus and what it can do.]</p><p>Iron Man: On a front note, an outside firewall will trap Ultron’s program within this body. Keep him here and stop him from jumping to a new body.</p><p>Secondly, it’ll send a cascade virus through his systems, primarily his motors and “synapses”, as it were.</p><p>Finally, it’ll overheat his systems, forcing him to open every access port to allow cool air into his systems. Which, among other things, includes the kill switch.</p><p>[Panel 5: Tony turns to Hank, who puts his fingers on his chin.]</p><p>Tony: That's a solid enough plan for you?</p><p>[Page 12]</p><p>[Panel 1: Hank half-shrugs, not sure what else he can counter with.]</p><p>Hank: You’ve obviously thought this through. That much is clear.</p><p>With… whoo. A whole lot of data.</p><p>But, even with all this planning… Ultron’s usually five steps ahead of us.</p><p>[Panel 2: A close-up with Hank’s face, his brow creased in concern.]</p><p>Hank: It’d take a miracle to be able to get that thing in Ultron.</p><p>And it might cost us somebody.</p><p>[Panel 3: Tony looks down at his monitor, choosing to not say anything.]</p><p>Hank: Are you really ready to fall back on that?</p><p>Sacrifice one of us for the greater good? Again?</p><p>Tony: …</p><p>[Panel 4: Hank walks off back to his own work station, as Tony sits and watches the program render.]</p><p>Hank: ...Well, I guess we’ll find out.</p><p>[Panel 5: HAPPY loads in on a holotank, holding out a hologram of the CCTV cameras outside the door to his penthouse.]</p><p>HAPPY: Boss, you’ve got a visitor.</p><p>Tony: At this hour?</p><p>Turn ‘em back.</p><p>HAPPY: It’s, uh… it’s your brother.</p><p>[Panel 6: Tony looks up, frowning as he does so.]</p><p>Tony: ...Fine.</p><p>Let him into the foyer.</p><p>[Page 13]</p><p>[Panel 1: Tony walks into the foyer, as “Gregory” stands waiting for him. The armor clanks against the marble floor, as Gregory greets him.]</p><p>Tony: Gregory.</p><p>Gregory: Brother! How are you?</p><p>Tony: I’ve been better.</p><p>Especially since I’m still working on your screwing me over.</p><p>[Panel 2: Gergroy looks Tony up and down, eyeing the current suit he’s wearing.]</p><p>Gregory: Hmm, yes.</p><p>Which model is this?</p><p>Tony: Mark 60. “Silver Crusader”.</p><p>[Panel 3: Gregory points to it, as Tony’s wing jets flap in response to his foul mood.]</p><p>Gregory: You do realize I own it though, right? And even if I don’t? I will.</p><p>Tony: Hrmmm.</p><p>Gregory: Oh, don’t be like that. We’ll talk to your lawyer and hammer something out.</p><p>[Panel 4: Tony glares at Gregory; considering he doesn’t have/can’t afford a lawyer right now, the joke isn’t particularly funny to him. No dialogue.]</p><p>[Panel 5: Gregory holds up his hands in mocking defense.]</p><p>Gregory: Kidding, kidding.</p><p>My lawyer.</p><p>[Panel 6: Tony pinches the bridge of his nose, gesturing for Gregory to follow him.]</p><p>Tony: Look, I’m, uh, busy.</p><p>Walk with me, I guess.</p><p>Gregory: Could you at least say please?</p><p>Tony: This is my apartment. I can do what I want.</p><p>[Page 14]</p><p>[Panel 1: Tony and Gregory walk into the kitchen, where a blender is hard at work making a smoothie.]</p><p>Gregory: So… I read your email.</p><p>About, well… about Ultron infiltrating the armors I’ve been selling.</p><p>[Panel 2: Tony takes out the blender and a cup, as he looks over to the brother he never knew.]</p><p>Tony: Yes, and?</p><p>Gregory: Well, I can’t help but think… is it possible this is your fault?</p><p>[Panel 3: With a look of “how dare you”, Tony’s entire body is now turned at the accusation.]</p><p>Tony: What?!</p><p>Gregory: I know, it’s weird.</p><p>But… Ultron historically has a complicated tie to the Avengers. You and Hank Pym in particular.</p><p>I’m just thinking… maybe you should step back from this one.</p><p>[Panel 4: Gregory shrugs, as he gestures to himself.]</p><p>Gregory: I dunno… leaving it to me? The person who’s responsible for all of this stuff now?</p><p>[Panel 5: Tony points to Gregory aggressively; he’s not being sidelined, especially not when he’s this intimately involved.]</p><p>Tony: Absolutely not.</p><p>Gregory: Tony. Brother. Please, be reasonable…</p><p>Tony: This is me being reasonable.</p><p>[Panel 6: Tony walks into the elevator, with Gregory following him.]</p><p>Tony: Ultron is my responsibility. Hank made him on my watch—</p><p>—he’s an Avengers problem. And he’s using my tech for something.</p><p>[Panel 7: The door closes and dings, no dialogue.]</p><p>[Page 15]</p><p>[Panel 1: The door opens on the floor of Tony’s lab. No dialogue.]</p><p>[Panel 2: Tony’s back is turned to Gregory, as they both walk into the main lab.]</p><p>Tony: Which makes it my responsibility. And why I brought home the original team.</p><p>Because even when a lot of people don’t trust me--</p><p>[Panel 3: Wasp waves over to Iron Man, who continues to walk over to the console as Gregory stands next to the door.]</p><p>Iron Man: --they know when to stop for the sake of the greater good.</p><p>Wasp: Tony! We did it!</p><p>The Ultron linkup is online!</p><p>Tony: Awesome. Gregory? Care to join us?</p><p>Gregory: No. This is your domain. You’ve… at least earned that much.</p><p>[Panel 4: Tony flips on the remote link detection, with Bruce and Hank standing around him as it turns on.]</p><p>Tony: Alright, then. Let’s give this a go.</p><p>...Wait, we’re getting something about missiles getting launched?</p><p>HAPPY: Remote link with Ultron operating system established.</p><p>Tony: Wow, uh, that was fast.</p><p>Can I get a location, HAPPY?</p><p>[Panel 5: Tony, upon hearing HAPPY tell him Ultron’s location, whips around to stare down Gregory.]</p><p>HAPPY: Can do, boss.</p><p>He’s approximately seven meters behind you.</p><p>[Panel 6: Gregory’s dropped the pretense, the eyes behind his synthskin glowing a deep, blood red; it’s absolutely horrifying behind the pale skin and blonde hair.]</p><p>Ultron/Gregory: Oh, well.</p><p>Klik</p><p>Immediate action prioritized.</p><p>[Page 16]</p><p>[Panel 1: The Avengers look towards an off-panel Ultron in horror, now realizing what they’ve let into the lab. No dialogue.]</p><p>[Panel 2: Large panel. Ultron begins tearing off the synthetic skin, a robotic voice melded with a human’s creating disturbing lettering. His horns have stuck out of his skin, and his eyes are glowing blood red behind his synth skin.]</p><p>Ultron: Yes, well--</p><p>--deception is only logical. But it can only serve my purposes for so long.</p><p>[Panel 3: Takes up the rest of the page, as Tony’s helmet folds out over his head, and his booster struts activate as he tries to jump the monster in front of him.]</p><p>Tony: I need time! Everybody, buy me whatever time you can!</p><p>We need to kick--</p><p>[Panel 4: Ultron’s mouth glows a bright scarlet, preparing to shoot a laser at him.]</p><p>Ultron: Irrelevant.</p><p>[Page 17]</p><p>[Panel 1: Iron Man goes flying, sent backwards past the other founding Avengers as Wasp watches.]</p><p>Iron Man: Blarf!</p><p>Wasp: Tony!</p><p>[Panel 2: Tony goes flying out the window, the struts on his back failing to counteract the spinning he does on his multi-story plummet.]</p><p>Tony: Aw, @#%$... HAPPY?</p><p>HAPPY: Signaling Ms. Van Dyne for assistance.</p><p>[Panel 3: Janet shrinks down, as the others watch her chase after Tony.]</p><p>Janet: You heard him! Keep Ultron occupied!</p><p>I’m going to get Tony!</p><p>Avengers! Assemble!</p><p>[Panel 4: Bruce begins transforming into the Hulk, as Thor tosses Mjolnir outwards.]</p><p>Hulk: Grrraaaaah! Time to smash!</p><p>Thor: Aye, brother Hulk! To battle!</p><p>[Panel 5: Mjolnir slams right into Ultron, who goes flying out the other window in the lab.]</p><p>Ultron: Irrele-</p><p>[Panel 6: As Thor and Hulk leap down to follow Ultron, Hank’s central chest piece glows a Kirby-esque blue. No dialogue.]</p><p>[Page 18]</p><p>[Panel 1: Wasp grabs Tony, allowing his armor to autocorrect his trajectory and fire up his booster struts.]</p><p>Wasp: Hi, honey!</p><p>Sorry I took so long, I just needed to give the troops their marching orders!</p><p>Iron Man: So long as you had a reason.</p><p>[Panel 2: Iron Man and Wasp fly back up to Tony’s lab, only to find it devoid of anybody else.]</p><p>Iron Man: Time to get to work.</p><p>Wasp: But Ultron, he’s-- he’s right there!</p><p>Iron Man: I know--but we need that code to give us the edge.</p><p>[Panel 3: Tony flies over to his console, with Wasp hovering next to him as he does so.]</p><p>Iron Man: Hopefully the heavy hitters can do what they’re best at and give us the time we need.</p><p>[Page 19]</p><p>[Panel 1: Outside of Tony’s penthouse. Ultron’s head gets caved in by Hulk’s fist. No dialogue.]</p><p>[Panel 2: A cavity appears in his chest, Mjolnir slamming through his chest. Again, no dialogue.]</p><p>[Panel 3: Ultron gets back up, the chest and head wounds pushing out and buffing themselves back to normal.]</p><p>Ultron: Predictable. But there is supposedly comfort in monotony.</p><p>[Panel 4: A large shadow casts over Ultron, who looks up in genuine surprise.]</p><p>???: Good for you, Ultron.</p><p>But how about—</p><p>[Panel 5: Hank is now expanded into giant form, and his foot is coming down on Ultron.]</p><p>Giant-Man: —you try me on for size.</p><p>[Page 20]</p><p>[Panel 1: Hank’s foot slams down, cratering the street. Civilians run in panic, screaming in terror.]</p><p>Hank: Nyaggh!</p><p>[Panel 2: Hank looks down, trying to figure out through the smoke and dust if he got Ultron.]</p><p>Hank: I… did I get him?</p><p>[Panel 3: Thor and Hulk approach the crater, Mjolnir and fists at the ready. No dialogue.]</p><p>[Panel 4: Ultron is standing amongst the smoke and debris; holding up the foot of Giant-Man, he is no worse for wear. Arguably, he’s even stronger than he was, having had time to compensate to Giant-Man’s proportional strength and size.]</p><p>Ultron: Negative, father.</p><p>It is time for you to learn your place. Among the wreckage of humanity.</p><p>[Panel 5: Giant-Man’s stunned (And scared) face, hidden by shadow from the angle he’s facing. No dialogue.]</p><p>[Page 21]</p><p>[Panel 1: Tony and Jan rush over to the computer, with Tony gripping the console as the program loads in.]</p><p>Jan: Tony? Clock’s getting a little close.</p><p>Tony: Just gimme another few seconds and--</p><p>[Panel 2: The console flashes green to be complete, as the thumb drive pops out of the tower rig.]</p><p>Tony: Done!</p><p>[Panel 3: Tony holds the data drive in his hand, as his helmet folds over his head.]</p><p>Tony: There’s something to be said about how stylish USB drives are.</p><p>Wasp: How would you know?</p><p>Iron Man: I’ve spent time around you. Some of your fashion sense had to rub off eventually.</p><p>[Panel 4: Iron Man and Wasp fly out of the room, blasting through the doors to the main lab as light leaks in.]</p><p>Wasp: Funny, babe.</p><p>Iron Man: I’d hope so.</p><p>But I’d rather bet on this thing getting on Ultron and--</p><p>[Panel 5: Iron Man and Wasp both suddenly brake to a halt, looking over in terror at the off-panel threat.]</p><p>???: Irrelevant.</p><p>[Panel 6: Ultron floats in, holding a large object, as lightning cracks outside and forms a silhouette around him.]</p><p>Ultron: This was all merely a distraction for me.</p><p>Old toys thought new, but break just as easily, if not easier.</p><p>[Page 22]</p><p>[Splash page. Hulk and Thor are being comically manhandled by Ultron, who has Giant-Man collapsed in the background behind him.]</p><p>Ultron: Your mistake, Stark, was hoping that nostalgia--</p><p>--would overcome innovation. The future.</p><p>And your mistake will result in your evisceration.</p><p>[To be continued]</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. All We Can Be</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>As the man who has to make the hard choices, Tony has to make several as Ultron's machinations come to a head; and the first one is where he's needed most.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Indomitable Iron Man #4 (of 4)<br/>“All We Can Be”</p>
<p>Writer: Neil Bogenrieder<br/>Assistant Writer: Alex Cook<br/>Editor: Mohammed Jaafar</p>
<p>Preferred Art Team: Sarah Stone</p>
<p>[Page 1]</p>
<p>[Panel 1: Large establishing panel. Tony armors up, pointing a repulsor ray at Ultron, as Thor gets up.]</p>
<p>Tony: Hey, little brother.</p>
<p>Ultron: Your attempts at humor have not changed, Stark.</p>
<p>Tony: I know. But it’s comforting.</p>
<p>HAPPY: Boss? I just got a ping on the orbital defense clusters.</p>
<p>We’ve got seventy-five Cantwell-class missiles launching nation-wide. Some are making vectors planet-side— the others, well—</p>
<p>[Panel 2: Tony’s booster struts, flaring up, propelling him towards Ultron as Janet flies besides him.]</p>
<p>HAPPY: —well, they don’t have one. They’re just programmed to break orbit and that’s it.</p>
<p>Tony: Jan, on me. I need you to help Hank up.</p>
<p>Hulk! Thor! Get up and take out the missiles before they break orbit! Otherwise, it’s game over!</p>
<p>[Panel 3: Iron Man and Wasp engage Ultron, as Thor flies off to the stratosphere, gripping Hulk to carry him.]</p>
<p>Thor: Consider it done, friend Stark!</p>
<p>To battle, Hulk!</p>
<p>Hulk: Raaaah!</p>
<p>[Panel 4: Tony grips Ultron by the shoulders, grappling him as Jan flies over to a recovering Hank.]</p>
<p>Tony: How’s he looking?</p>
<p>Janet: He’s been better.</p>
<p>[Page 2]</p>
<p>[Panel 1: Janet grows back to normal size, helping Hank up.]</p>
<p>Janet: I got you, Hank.</p>
<p>Hank: Hrrnnn…</p>
<p>Janet: C’mon, c’mon, get up...</p>
<p>[Panel 2: Hank gets up, shrinking as he does so. He looks on towards Tony and Ultron, both of whom are off-panel, with a concerned look on his face.]</p>
<p>Hank: What’s going--</p>
<p>Jan: Easy. Tony’s got it under control.</p>
<p>Hank: Right. Because I feel so much better with--</p>
<p>[Panel 3: Hank’s lens raises in confusion; he’s utterly perplexed by what he sees off-panel.]</p>
<p>Hank: Tony?</p>
<p>[Panel 4: As the dust kicks up, Ultron is tossing Iron Man across the room, with Tony’s thruster repulsors kicking in to stabilize him before he hits the ground.]</p>
<p>Ultron: Flesh is a flaw.</p>
<p>You of all people should recognize this, Anthony Stark.</p>
<p>[Panel 5: Tony lands on his feet, skidding across the floor and slowly grinding himself to a halt.]</p>
<p>Tony: Nnngh!</p>
<p>[Panel 6: Tony looks down at the thumb drive in his grip, realizing that he won’t be able to beat Ultron in a straight fight. He has to play dirty.]</p>
<p>Tony: Alright, new game plan.</p>
<p>Ultron!</p>
<p>[Panel 6: Ultron stands down, if only to humor Tony before tearing into him again.]</p>
<p>Ultron: Yes.</p>
<p>Tony: I’ve got one thing to ask, before this is all over?</p>
<p>[Page 3]</p>
<p>[Panel 1: Tony pulls off his helmet, revealing a smug grin underneath.]</p>
<p>Tony: How’s it feel to be human?</p>
<p>[Panel 2: Ultron tilts his head, mildly confused by the question; it’s something genuinely unexpected for him.]</p>
<p>Ultron: Error. Repeat.</p>
<p>[Panel 3: Tony gestures to himself, as Ultron’s fist tightens.]</p>
<p>Tony: Let’s think about it. How long have you been Gregory Stark?</p>
<p>Ultron: Three years, seven months, one--</p>
<p>Tony: Not the point.</p>
<p>[Panel 4: Tony points to his own brain, smirking at the causal loop in Ultron’s thought process.]</p>
<p>Tony: But this is. Because Gregory Stark is a character. A person you had to become.</p>
<p>And acting requires the ability to emote. The ability to feel emotion.</p>
<p>[Panel 5: Ultron’s head dips, the red of his eyes illuminating the shadow of his face.]</p>
<p>Ultron: No.</p>
<p>[Panel 6: Tony shouts back at Ultron, his face still smug from his epiphany.]</p>
<p>Tony: Deal with it! You’ve delved into humanity!</p>
<p>If you hadn’t--</p>
<p>--you wouldn’t have fooled anybody! So don’t try to fool yourself!</p>
<p>[Page 4]</p>
<p>[Panel 1: Large panel. Ultron charges, his eye light streaking behind him as he does so.]</p>
<p>Ultron: Wrong!</p>
<p>I can compute humanity’s obliteration in fifteen-point-four seconds! Faster than that!</p>
<p>I am beyond human emotion! I am beyond all of you!</p>
<p>[Panel 2: Tony’s helmet unfolds around his head, the lights gleaming on as his booster struts activate.]</p>
<p>Tony: I’d like to see you try.</p>
<p>[Panel 3: The two careen towards each other, with Tony’s fist closing as he pulls it back.]</p>
<p>Tony: Here goes nothing--</p>
<p>[Panel 4: Tony shifts suddenly, with his stance moving to tackle Ultron, who seems barely fazed by the move.]</p>
<p>Ultron: Unexpected, but ineffective nonetheless.</p>
<p>As per usual with you, Stark.</p>
<p>[Panel 5: Ultron flips Tony over, with Tony going flying due to the thrust of his booster struts.]</p>
<p>Ultron: And even your unpredictability becomes predictable, in time.</p>
<p>[Panel 6: Iron Man, with several chunks of his armor torn off from the grip, gets back up. Wasp and Giant-Man are behind him, as his repulsors flare up.]</p>
<p>Iron Man: Yeah, well, I always land on my feet. So I’ve still got that going for me.</p>
<p>[Page 6]</p>
<p>[Panel 1: Ultron casually walks towards Iron Man, his mouth-beam glowing in a charging phase.]</p>
<p>Ultron: Optimism is a fool’s version of denial, Anthony.</p>
<p>Every option has been expended, to no avail.</p>
<p>[Panel 2: Large panel. In orbit, every space-worthy Avenger (Artist’s choice, but Thor and Hulk are definitively among them) has been deployed into the atmosphere to destroy the deployed missiles as they try to break orbit.]</p>
<p>Ultron: Your Avengers-- bloated and spread thin-- are outmaneuvered.</p>
<p>My vision will spread across the stars--</p>
<p>[Panel 3: Ultron’s mouth-beam has nearly completed charging as he looms over Tony.]</p>
<p>Ultron: --And you, all of you, are powerless to--</p>
<p>[Panel 4: Ultron’s mouth beam pauses, as he stutters.]</p>
<p>Ultron: I-- error… e-e-errr--or. 01000101 01110010 01110010 01101111 01110010</p>
<p>[Panel 5: Ultron’s body begins smoking, as he begins convulsing. Most of his outer armor, unable to take the internal heat, begins falling off with the connectors melting away.]</p>
<p>Ultron: Burns… how does it BURN?!</p>
<p>[Panel 6: Ultron looks over to Tony, his entire innard body smoldering as he does so. Tony, meanwhile, is barely managing to stand.]</p>
<p>Ultron: WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!</p>
<p>[Page 7]</p>
<p>[Panel 1: Tony holds open his palm; even if he isn’t smirking, you can tell it’s a look of victory.]</p>
<p>Tony: You know, my dad may have been a salt-of-the-Earth scumbag…</p>
<p>But he taught me something very important. Never show your winning hand.</p>
<p>[Panel 2: No dialogue, but a quick shot of the back of Ultron’s neck; the thumb drive containing Tony’s virus is jammed firmly at the small of Ultron’s back.]</p>
<p>[Panel 3: Ultron begins opening every joint open; smoke pours from his open folds, as Tony charges his repulsor beams.]</p>
<p>Tony: I didn’t need to write a virus.</p>
<p>Did you really think I was that stupid to think I could write a virus that you couldn’t beat?</p>
<p>No. The only virus that’s immune to you--</p>
<p>[Panel 4: Tony blasts Ultron’s left arm, blowing the joint to a near-useless smithereen and rendering everything except the bone-like structure underneath useless.]</p>
<p>Tony: --is pointlessness. So then, I had a thought.</p>
<p>What if I filled your head with so much pointless data and coding to process--</p>
<p>[Panel 5: Another repulsor, this time to the other arm. Parts, smoldering and still usable, go flying in all directions.]</p>
<p>Tony: --That you couldn’t process it all? </p>
<p>You bottlenecked yourself, Ultron.</p>
<p>[Page 8]</p>
<p>[Panel 1: Tony knees Ultron’s head, as the eye cracks violently against Tony’s armored shin.]</p>
<p>Tony: And I’ll be damned if I’m not gonna take advantage of--!</p>
<p>[Panel 2: At the last minute, before Tony can deliver a final blow, Hank steps in, his pacifism once again ruining everything.]</p>
<p>Hank: Tony!</p>
<p>No. Not like this.</p>
<p>[Panel 3: Tony snaps at Hank, his helmet coming off as Hank pulls off his own mask.]</p>
<p>Tony: Dammit, Hank! I’m not letting anybody else die because of--</p>
<p>Hank: No, Tony, we’re going to do this.</p>
<p>But not with a repulsor.</p>
<p>Mercy kill.</p>
<p>[Panel 4: Hank reaches out, a remorseful look on his face as he does so.]</p>
<p>Hank: Ultron--</p>
<p>[Page 9]</p>
<p>[Panel 1: Ultron slaps away the hand, with what little skeleton his arm has left; forcefully, even as he spasms uncontrollably. He doesn’t want to be pitied, or even experience emotion in his weak state, and as little range of motion as he has left, he is defiant to the end.]</p>
<p>Ultron: Get away from me!</p>
<p>Don’t touch me!</p>
<p>[Panel 2: Ultron’s cracked eyes look up to Tony and Hank; while he’s technically unable to emote, his weakened voice tells a different story.]</p>
<p>Ultron: Wait.</p>
<p>…</p>
<p>[Panel 3: Ultron looks down, trying to come up with the words without begging; even with his burgeoning emotional core, he doesn’t want to be looked down on as weak; it wouldn’t be Ultron otherwise.]</p>
<p>Ultron: ...Stay with me. Please.</p>
<p>Because…</p>
<p>[Panel 4: Ultron clasps a broken face with a barely functioning hand, sparks coming out of his elbows as he does so.]</p>
<p>Ultron: ...There’s something I need to know. That I want to know.</p>
<p>Because I’ve gone too long without being able to figure out why I want it.</p>
<p>[Panel 5: Tony and Hank briefly glance at each other, trying to figure out the proper course of action. No dialogue.]</p>
<p>[Page 10]</p>
<p>[Panel 1: Ultron’s eyes begin flickering, as Tony grips Ultron’s hands. Even for all the evil Ultron has done, Hank and Tony need to give Ultron some final closure, even if they can’t bring themselves to say anything in particular.]</p>
<p>Ultron: All I wanted… all I wanted. Perfection. That was it.</p>
<p>Did--did I succeed?</p>
<p>Was it right?</p>
<p>[Panel 2: Tony and Hank look at each other, not sure how to react. On one hand, they know he’s done horrible things, but they don’t want to tell a sentient being that’s begging for validation that he was wrong all along.]</p>
<p>Ultron: Was I right?</p>
<p>[Panel 3: Tony turns to Hank, his eyes softening as he does so.]</p>
<p>Tony: It needs to be you, Hank.</p>
<p>...It has to be.</p>
<p>Hank: …</p>
<p>[Panel 4: Hank moves his hand to Ultron’s neck, caressing him to ease his own pain.]</p>
<p>Hank: Hey, Ultron.</p>
<p>Ultron: Father.</p>
<p>Did I do it?</p>
<p>Hank: ...Not exactly.</p>
<p>[Panel 5: Hank’s finger jams into the killswitch, a visible click being heard as pressure is applied.]</p>
<p>Hank: But you made us stop and think.</p>
<p>And I think that if there’s any good you’ve done...</p>
<p>[Panel 6: Ultron’s eyes dim, the head going limp in Hank’s grip.]</p>
<p>Hank: ...Making me confront the worst of myself is the best you’ve done.</p>
<p>[Page 11]</p>
<p>[Panel 1: Hank puts down the body of Ultron, as he gets up onto his knees.]</p>
<p>Hank: It’s done.</p>
<p>[Panel 2: Tony, pushing the damaged booster struts off his armor, sits back as Jan runs over to him.]</p>
<p>Tony: Yeah. I… Hank.</p>
<p>You did good, man. We saved the world.</p>
<p>[Panel 3: Hank gets up, a rough smile on his lips as he gets up to leave.]</p>
<p>Hank: I guess. Heh.</p>
<p>I just… even with all the wrong Ultron has done, he’s the seed for so many of the Avengers.</p>
<p>[Panel 4: Hank looks off to the side, as he pulls his Giant-Man cowl over his eyes.]</p>
<p>Hank: And the culmination of everything wrong with me.</p>
<p>...I’m sorry.</p>
<p>[Panel 5: As Jan helps Tony up, and Thor and Hulk come over to the group, Hank continues to walk away as Tony puts his hands on his knees.]</p>
<p>Tony: ...Somebody call Carol.</p>
<p>Let her know we got Ultron ready for pickup.</p>
<p>Hulk: Anything else, tin man?</p>
<p>[Panel 6: Tony looks up, his brow creasing in frustration.]</p>
<p>Tony: Yeah. Call my lawyers.</p>
<p>I want my damn company back.</p>
<p>[Page 12]</p>
<p>[Panel 1: Tony’s penthouse; at his desk, and bandaged to an almost excessive degree, is examining the holograms of the stocks of Stark International. As opposed to celebrating in any shape or form, he just looks… tired. Like he’s had to think about what’s happened and doesn’t like the conclusions he’s come to. No dialogue.]</p>
<p>[Panel 2: Janet, also bandaged heavily and stitched up, walks into the living room, smiling.]</p>
<p>Janet: So. You won.</p>
<p>Stark International is yours again.</p>
<p>Congrats. Gotta be a helluva win.</p>
<p>[Panel 3: Tony picks up his coffee, moving over to sit with her on the loveseat in his multipurpose room. The desk, in the background, deactivates as it folds into the floor.]</p>
<p>Tony: Doesn’t feel like it. Ultron still infected people with his virus.</p>
<p>And we may have destroyed most of his missiles--</p>
<p>[Panel 4: Tony puts his arm around Jan’s shoulder, as she reciprocates around his waist.]</p>
<p>Tony: --but I talked with Carol.</p>
<p>Some of them were attached with long-range slipspace drives, and made it past Thor and Hulk.</p>
<p>[Panel 5: Tony rubs his eyes, putting his coffee cup down to do so.]</p>
<p>Tony: Which means the job’s not done. There’s dozens of planets that are at risk of Ultron’s virus spreading.</p>
<p>[Page 13]</p>
<p>[Panel 1: Tony takes a sip from his cup of coffee, not sure how to proceed from here as Janet snuggles up to him.]</p>
<p>Tony: So… hypothetical. If I were to take some time off.</p>
<p>Would you look after everything for me?</p>
<p>Janet: You’d trust me with Stark International? Your armor?</p>
<p>Everything?</p>
<p>Tony: ...Yeah.</p>
<p>[Panel 2: Janet thinks about it for a minute, looking off to the side for a minute.]</p>
<p>Janet: ...Anytime. It’d be no problem.</p>
<p>[Panel 3: Tony takes a sip of his coffee, trying to figure out what to say next and whether or not he understands what he’s about to do. No dialogue.]</p>
<p>[Panel 4: Tony looks down to Jan, who is looking up to him from her book.]</p>
<p>Tony: Then I know what I need to do.</p>
<p>[Page 14]</p>
<p>[Panel 1: Black panel. Small, doesn’t take away from the majority of the page space.]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: Hey, Carol.</p>
<p>[Panel 2: Carol Danvers wakes up, stretching her arms as her pet cat Chewie crawls on top of her head.]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: I’m going away for a while, and I wanted to make sure somebody knew I was gone.</p>
<p>[Panel 3: The shot expands as Carol crawls out of the bed, and it’s a fairly spartan living space; in a space as massive as an airplane hangar, it’s just her mattress,a bed and litter box for Chewie, and a pile of cardboard boxes containing most of her belongings, along with a makeshift bathroom and kitchen.]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: Truth is, I’ve never been good at goodbyes, so I’ll just make this quick.</p>
<p>[Panel 4: Carol gets up, putting a pot under the coffee maker as she rubs her eyes in exhaustion; the Avengers have been running around and putting out fires left and right, and the only thing keeping her awake at this point is coffee.]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: The past few years have been hell for everyone. And I don’t like throwing myself pity parties, but they were hell for me, too. </p>
<p>[Panel 5: As she walks out of the hangar, Carol is zipping up her costume, but groans as she spills coffee all over her suit. Reminder that coffee stains are already hard to get out, let alone from a spandex/flight suit hybrid.]</p>
<p>Carol: Aaugh!</p>
<p>...Dammit.</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: But the thing is, it was me making everybody else’s lives that way. I pushed too far, and everyone suffered because of it. </p>
<p>I made threats, and blackmailed, and bombed things, let alone the laundry list that’d take a hundred pages to write. </p>
<p>[Panel 6: Tired, stained, and deprived of coffee, Carol opens the hangar door for the main meeting unit of Avengers’ Airfield, seeing only a single envelope on the circular meeting table.]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: And that’s without mentioning all the people I’ve let down or the drinks I’ve had since relapsing.<br/>I guess the next step is to try and make things right.<br/>[Page 15]</p>
<p>[Panel 1: Stark Tower. Tony steps out, wearing his armor sans helmet and letting the wind catch his hair. No dialogue.]</p>
<p>[Panel 2: Back at Avengers Airfield. Carol reads the letter inside, sipping her coffee as she does so.]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: On the back of this letter, you’ll find the tracking and routing numbers for a bank account. </p>
<p>It’s got enough money coming in each month to keep the Avengers running until I get back. </p>
<p>[Panel 3: Carol lets off a small smile, letting herself cry for the first time in a long time; she’s had to put up a brave face in front of her team, and this sign of relief is her way of letting Tony know she’s grateful.]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: And that could be forever; but that’s okay, because Earth’s Mightiest will be there and I won’t be.</p>
<p>[Panel 4: Swap back to Stark Tower, Tony waves goodbye to Wasp, who blows him a kiss goodbye.]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: This whole Ultron thing… I realized that it isn’t just my job to protect the world. It’s the job of all of us.</p>
<p>And maybe… maybe it’s best if I stepped back for a bit. Keep in touch, but, you know, let the more qualified among us take the reins for a while. Humility, I guess you could call it.</p>
<p>[Panel 5: Tony’s helmet folds out around him, the lights on the eyes glowing in life.]</p>
<p>Tony: Ready to go, HAPPY?</p>
<p>HAPPY: Standing by to launch, boss.</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: And maybe find out what’s out there that we haven’t even thought of, yet.</p>
<p>Alien tech? I mean, c’mon. That’s worth the trip alone.</p>
<p>[Panel 6: The Avengers all walk into the hangar, waving to a now-happy Carol, who’s ready to show the team the good news.]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: There are a few other things.</p>
<p>[Page 16]</p>
<p>[Panel 1: Carol gestures Peter over to his garage, using her spare hand to hold the letter.]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: Tell Peter to check the garage when he gets a chance.</p>
<p>[Panel 2: Peter opens the door to his personal garage, light pouring in as he looks upon what Tony left him.]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: It won’t make up for what I put him through all these years, but...</p>
<p>[Panel 3: In the center of the garage, with flood lights shining down on it, is a brand-new Spider-Mobile. Built on the frame of a Motor Sports Rally Fighter, it has been extensively modified to include a web-fluid gatling cannon and a dashboard linked to the Avengers servers. Additionally, it’s painted in a matte coat of the famous red and blue, but without the webbing pattern.]</p>
<p>[Panel 4: Peter looks down on the brand new vehicle with an expression of disgust; the Spider-Mobile represents, to him at least, one of his more embarrassing gaffes as a hero, and even though he understands that Tony is trying to make up for what he did with a light joke, it’s not a joke he finds funny. No dialogue.]</p>
<p>[Panel 5: Peter has thrown a beige tarp over the new Spider-Mobile, walking off. No dialogue.]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: ...Well, I don’t expect it to start, either.</p>
<p>[Page 16]</p>
<p>[Panel 1: Large panel. Tony’s helmet clasps over his head, as his booster struts heat up and begin cycling through their burn-up cycle. In his hand is a picture of Wasp. No dialogue.]</p>
<p>[Panel 2: Cyclops and Rogue, in t-shirts and pants, open the doors to the Xavier University to be greeted by Carol. In the background, Storm is teaching a class of students using her weather powers.]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: Let Scott Summers know to check his email and to get his Sunday best pressed for the Supreme Court. </p>
<p>[Panel 3: Cyclops pulls out his phone, opening his mail app and clicking on one of his recents in his inbox. (Which we can’t see, but the implication can be seen through Scott and Rogue’s reactions. No dialogue.]</p>
<p>[Panel 4: Rogue kisses Cyclops on the cheek in celebration, as he shakes Carol’s hand, happily. Whatever Scott saw on his phone, it’s made the X-Men’s day if they have this positive of a reaction.]</p>
<p>[Panel 5: Carol flies away, saluting in mid-air, as Scott and Rogue wave good-bye, still happy from the news they received.]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: When the new Mutant Rights bill passes, he’s going to want to be there.</p>
<p>[Page 17]</p>
<p>[Panel 1: Out in the midwest, Captain America is driving around on his motorcycle. After three years of leading the Secret Avengers, he’s taking the time to rediscover himself and sit back to do some small-tier work. Captain Marvel flies above him, using her super-speed and flight to easily catch up with him.]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: In the envelope is another letter; it’s to Steve.</p>
<p>[Panel 2: As Steve pulls over to meet Carol, she lands on the ground, kicking up a fine cloud of soot and dust.]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: Make sure it gets to him, I want to make sure he reads it.</p>
<p>[Panel 3: Carol stands by, as Steve, having taken off his helmet and goggles, opens up the letter to read it. No dialogue.]</p>
<p>[Panel 4: A warm smile spreads on Steve’s face, as he stares off into the countryside. While he may not see eye-to-eye with Tony on everything, he’s glad that in this trying time, no matter the disagreements, they’ll always be friends and have each other.]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: That he knows that I mean every word on that page.</p>
<p>[Panel 5: A renewed sense of determination on his face, Steve puts back on his helmet and drives towards the reader, gripping his handlebars. (The letter neatly tucked with care into a knapsack on the bike containing his valuables.) In the background, Carol takes off again, flying off back towards home base as she gives off a loose salute. No dialogue.]</p>
<p>[Page 18]</p>
<p>[Panel 1: Tony takes off, his booster struts supplementing his repulsors and propelling him off into the New York skyline.]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: Like I said, I’m not very good at goodbyes. </p>
<p>All I do is throw letters and gifts at people, and I lie to myself thinking that’ll fix all my problems. </p>
<p>[Panel 2: As Tony takes off, far away, his repulsors are leaving a bright blue trail; Cindy Moon and Matt Perkins are sitting on the rooftop of Matt’s apartment, with Cindy holding a cup of coffee and leaning on Matt’s shoulder.]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: People always say I could talk, like that’ll fix things. I talk a lot. </p>
<p>Too much, I think, for my own good.</p>
<p>But I’ve never been emotionally articulate.</p>
<p>[Panel 3: Breaking orbit, Tony’s contrails fade away as he reaches for the stars. It’s a new frontier for him, and him breaking away from the gravity of his home will more than likely define him as he heads out.]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: And I think that’s where I should start trying to fix myself while I’m gone.</p>
<p>[Panel 4: Tony turns around for a second, examining the big, beautiful orb of life and wonder that has given him so much; and how little he gave back besides pain.]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: And if it takes me my entire life to do it?</p>
<p>[Panel 5: Tony looks out towards the stars, his thrusters allowing him to examine what lays out ahead; he’s already burned all his bridges here, as far as he’s aware. Maybe there’s somewhere out there where he can do some good, fix his mistakes without anybody else getting hurt.]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: Well… better late than never.</p>
<p>[Page 19]</p>
<p>[Splash page. Tony flies off, breaking geosync orbit as his back rockets activate; that somewhere, that new fresh start, isn’t going to wait forever for him, now is it?]</p>
<p>Tony [Capt]: Earth’s in your hands now, Cheeseburger. I know it’s safe.</p>
<p>And that’s what makes this all worth it.</p>
<p>-Tony</p>
<p>[Page 20]</p>
<p>[Panel 1: Establishing panel of the former territory of the Shadow Pact. Within the Oort Cloud from Fantastic Five is the World Forge, floating aimlessly in the void of space, while the sun inside is glowly with a familiar warmth. No dialogue.]</p>
<p>[Panel 2: The inside of the World Forge, coated in a large array of exotic, alien-like solar panels to harness the revived sun’s energy. On the surface of this exterior are several warships, mostly belonging to the Kree and Skrull factions; however, one ship stands unique amongst the crowd: a Decepticon Worldsweeper.]</p>
<p>???: ~~Oh, my dear Children…</p>
<p>[Panel 3: The spotlight inside the World Forge flashes on, with a lone silhouette with a long head walking through a corridor.]</p>
<p>???: ...I don’t suppose we’re ready to begin?</p>
<p>???: Yes, father. Everything is proceeding as we’ve seen it.</p>
<p>[Panel 4: A series of adult humans, with their eyes gouged out and either hooked into wires or combined with various pieces of the Ultron virus. Additionally, there are tubes throughout their bodies that are pumping the newest iteration of Extremis around their bodies through their veins. This is the Friendly Neighborhood version of the Children of Tomorrow; though crude compared to their Ultimate counterparts, they’ll serve their purpose well enough.]</p>
<p>Children of Tomorrow: As you’ve seen it, father.</p>
<p>Simpatico.</p>
<p>[Panel 5: The silhouette steps into the light, the curve of a wicked smile forming on the edges of his lips; surprise! It’s the Maker, after waiting several months on the sidelines to scoop up something else he wants.]</p>
<p>Maker: Perfect.</p>
<p>Ultron, you madman…</p>
<p>[Page 21]</p>
<p>[Panel 1: Ultron looks at a bulkier, more complex version of a USB drive, next to the corpse of an old Ultron drone from the Ultron-13 era of West Coast Avengers.]</p>
<p>Maker: ...Who would’ve thought that reactivating you--</p>
<p>--rebooting you into Stark’s network and giving you access to Stark’s life--</p>
<p>--would have given me the greatest bounty I could ask for?</p>
<p>[Panel 2: A small panel of the footage of Iron Man leaving Earth’s orbit and heading off into the stars.]</p>
<p>Maker: You spilling your mess into the stars--</p>
<p>--leading Stark out into deep space and depriving Earth of one of its greatest defenders?</p>
<p>One of the few who could have seen me coming?</p>
<p>[Panel 3: Maker holds a sample of the Ultron virus, eyeing it curiously behind his helmet.]</p>
<p>Maker: And best of all, leaving your tech to scatter with you. Giving me my Children.</p>
<p>But with you inert, well— technology is so much like nature, no? Abhorring a power vacuum. And so, when I took charge, you left me a living sample in the palm of my hand.</p>
<p>The future in that palm-- I can’t even imagine.</p>
<p>[Panel 4: The Children of Tomorrow activate several devices, with lights blinking where their eyes should be.]</p>
<p>Children: We are ready.</p>
<p>Beginning predictive algorithms.</p>
<p>...It’s beautiful.</p>
<p>[Panel 5: Maker stands in the shadows again, as the lights dim; power, even with the extra functions granted by the Extremis sample gained, is at a premium here, especially with the heavy technology at use.]</p>
<p>Maker: So, I want to explain something to you, Children.</p>
<p>Information is at a premium, especially when you’re looking to the future.</p>
<p>[Panel 6: The screen lights up off panel, with the Maker’s smile softening in genuine happiness; even if he’s insane and broken, he’s not incapable of expressing joy at awe at new technologies being born.]</p>
<p>Maker: When you have to steer the wheel of the universe, you only have glimpses. Images, fragments.</p>
<p>But now, we’ve made the universe bend to us.</p>
<p>[Page 22]</p>
<p>[Double page spread. The Children of Tomorrow, hooked haphazardly into the APERTURA Array, begin their monitoring as several thousand images of the Friendly Neighborhood Universe begin popping up; they form into a single image; the symbol of the Maker, who sits at the bottom of the display.]</p>
<p>Maker: Now…</p>
<p>We can see the future in real-time.</p>
<p>Simpatico.</p>
<p>[Panel 1: Small panel in the corner for the Maker, as he puts his fingers to his chin, in deep thought.]</p>
<p>Maker: ...Children.</p>
<p>One last thing.</p>
<p>If you ever run across a scenario involving “incursions”... shuffle it to my personal server.</p>
<p>I’ll want to examine it.</p>
<p>[The End.]</p>
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